


Maiden Of The Sands

by Libbleslie



Category: Legend of Zelda
Genre: Action, Adventure, gerudo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2019-10-25 19:50:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17731535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libbleslie/pseuds/Libbleslie
Summary: Abducted on what should have been nothing more than a routine delivery task, Link finds himself thrust into a strange new life surrounded by hot sand and cutthroat thieves.





	1. Chapter 1

Darkness.

That's all he knew at the moment. Darkness and the sensation of being jostled around along with an arrangement of objects indeterminable in the could hardly made sense of how fast it all happened.  
How could a simple delivery turn into such a mess?

His head hurt, being particularly sensitive in one spot. Not that he wasn't sore all over from laying amongst hard objects for who knows how long now. When they cart came to a stop he was flung across the wood floor.

The sound of several voices speaking at once came muffled through the thick tarp. Most voices speaking in some strange language he did not know.  
Once voice finally silenced the others, the speaker thankfully using the common tongue. "We didn't have a choice, got it? He put up too much of a fight and knights were on our tails. We woulda got caught if we hadn't snatched him.  
"Get Nabri, she'll know what to do." Another voice exclaimed. Then it felt like an eternity, waiting for something to happen.

Two pairs of hands grabbed at him and yanked him out of the cart and onto hot sand.  
With a hiss he squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden bright sunlight.

As his eyes adjusted he was surprised to find he was surrounded by a large group of women; many of whom held scimitars or axes in their tanned hands. And many, but not all, had the lower halves of their faces covered with veils.  
They stood in a half circle around him, all staring down at him rather like vultures.  
Or at least that's the image that came to mind. Especially given the bird like noses those who left their faces uncovered possessed.

Suddenly they began parting as a particularly fierce looking woman walked her way through the small crowd.  
The woman had an oval face and slightly longer looking nose than the rest of them. Most of her hair was cut short but a thick, extremely long section was pulled up and held in place with a thick ring like object adorned with, in his opinion, a ridiculously large jewel.

Her sharp golden eyes squinted as she circled him. Bringing the image of vultures back.

She pulled him roughly to his feet by the arm and circled round him more, as if she was scrutinizing every inch of him.  
"Well, girls, what should we do with the runt?" She barked. "From what I heard this squirt caused a fair bit of trouble for Zaboora and Haana. That can't go unpunished, now can it? Any ideas?"

There was a clamor of voices. Woman were pushing each other as they shouted suggestions.  
Seemingly displeased by the ideas the woman held up her hand to silence the other women. "Alright, alright. Settle down now. Take him to the sparring hall and we'll settle it there."

He gave a start as a piece of cloth was forcibly wrapped around his eyes. Two pairs of hands hooked themselves under his arms and dragged him away.  
There was a shift in the level of darkness and a cool breeze hit him from the back; The texture beneath his struggling feet changed from soft sand to hard stone and the sounds of his futile scuffling echoed dully around them.

A multitude of excited voices echoed louder and dozens of footsteps rang in his ears.

There was a loud creaking sound along with the sound of stone scraping against stone and his feet touched sand again. When the blindfold was removed they were in a new room- a large chamber with a sandy floor with training equipment scattered about.  
Women stood jeering from every nook and cranny. Even from platforms above. He stood in the center of what had to be a training ring, judging by the stray weaponry, and his bonds were now attacked to a thick pole in the ground.  
The woman from before stood in front of him, lips curled into a menacing smirk. She opened her mouth to speak but her voice fell silent as another voice rang through the clamor.

"Nabri? What is going on? Why has everyone gathered here?" The crowd fell silent and a group of women up on a platform parted, letting through a girl who couldn't be any older than he was.

She was alien compared to the women that surrounded her.

Her face was small compared to the wide oval faces the other women possessed. Her skin was darkly tanned but it was not the same deep, reddish brown. Her long hair was a pale gold color, pulled up in a similar fashion to the other women. Only thin pieces were left down to frame her face, giving a clear view of her long, pointed ears that were pierced in many places.

A Hylian.

"Ah, Zanora, perfect timing. C'mere." The woman he assumed to be called Nabri waved the girl over.  
The girl swiftly followed the order, gracefully leaping down from the platform and the crowds parted for her again as she made her way to the center of the room, stopping a few feet in front of the older woman.

"Nabri, who is this voe, and why is he tied here?" She questioned.  
The older woman let out a small laugh. "I'm truly surprised no one told you what happened. But anyhow, I want your opinion on what we should do with this one? The popular opinion is to kill him, but since you're here, I want to know what our little birdie thinks?"

The small blonde cocked her head, giving him a hard look over. "Hmm, I don't know... He looks fairly strong and healthy. We could use him for work." She suggested. "It would be an awful shame to let all that flesh and muscle go to waste."

Groans rang through the cavern at her words but the one called Nabri had her hand on her chin, looking him over again before turning back to the girl. "Well obviously that's not a popular idea with the girls, but you are right. It would be a crime to pass up free labor. And if it doesn't work out," She shrugged nonchalantly. "We can always go back to the first plan."  
"I thought you might agree," The girl nodded.  
"Nnnnnnh... Alright, fine. He can live, for now. The head priestesses can decided his final fate upon their return. Until them, he can be our mule." The leader announced, much to the dismay of the crowd and to both his relief and horror.

"But," with a sweep of her arm she roughly pushed the Hylian girl into him, causing an uproar of laughter. "Since you're the one who voted to let the voe live, you can be the one to make sure he stays alive."  
The girl took a deep step away from him, her face red and eyes on the ground as she muttered a muted "Yes Ma'am."

The Nabri woman snapped her fingers. "Alright, girls, go throw him in a cell somewhere."  
The blindfold was once again placed over his eyes and he was dragged away. Though this time he felt a bit too numb with shock to struggle.

What sort of fate awaited him? He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know.

* * *

Once they took the blindfold off, he was roughly thrown to the floor inside of a cell. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed at the cell bars. "Hey! You can't do this!" He yelled. "You can't do this! You can't keep me here!" He doubled over with a groan as one of the pair jabbed at him with the but of her weapon. "Shut it, worm. You're lucky you even get to live after all the trouble you caused us."  
They turned, one of them clicking her tongue in distaste as they walked away.

He waited until he heard the sound of the door again before grabbing at the cell bars and pulling with all his might.  
Unsuccessful at simply pulling any of them out of place he resorted to shaking them. When that too, failed he kicked at them. He even went to far as to take an experimental bite at them before he threw himself to the floor with a frustrated groan.

He looked around at his surroundings.

It was a large cell, mostly bare and probably twice the size of the average cell in a normal town prison, if he had to guess.  
The remains of a broken chain and cuff that were long eaten and eroded by time laid scattered in one corner, and what he hoped to be an empty chamber pot in the other.

Oh what a mess this all was. Thrown in a dungeon for trying to do the right thing.  
But he couldn't sit idle. No, that wouldn't do. He had to do something.

He grabbed one of the large broken pieces of chain and struck at the point where one of the cell bars and the floor met.  
Again and again he struck at the same spot for who knows how long; with the light from the lone torch he could see as his only companion as he worked.  
He nearly cursed as the metal slipped as he made to strike again; instead scraping his knuckles against the hard stone floor.  
He had little time to nurse his hand, however, as the sound of the dungeon door scraping against the floor echoed throughout the chamber.  
He scrambled to put the piece of metal back and act as if nothing was wrong with his hand.

The Hylian girl appeared, and in her hands she held a small wooden tray. Two small wooden cups, and a small roll of bread sat upon the tray; the contents of the cups sloshing slightly as she set the tray down; just outside the cell.

"One cup contains water, the other has some broth." She said. "You must be hungry after all that time without food or water. But I would make what's here last."

With that she left him.

Once she was gone he sipped at the water until the cup was nearly drained to help alleviate his dry mouth before scrambling for a piece of broken chain and he went back to striking the same spot.  
His hands were sore, and the fifth time he struck his hand against the floor he threw the piece of metal across the cell with an angry yell. This wasn't working and he was out of ideas.

"No duh that didn't work." The girls voice startled him and he fell backwards from his crouched position. "Those chains were made from a metal thats good for holding people, but not so good against hard stone. Or the test of time, as you see."  
He gaped at her. She'd left long ago, he'd heard her outgoing footsteps and he had heard the door open and shut.  
"I sensed you were up to something, so I only pretended to leave." She leaned against the cell bars. "Besides, we would've noticed that the floor around the bars is being chipped away after a while."

He looked away. That hadn't quite crossed his mind. He just wanted to try something.

She shifted her weight. "Though tell me, what would you have done had you been able to escape? I'm actually quite curious about that. The city is crawling with us. You'd be found and gutted within minutes. And past our gates if you did manage to escape the compound."  
She crouched down to his current level. "Give me your hands." She commanded.

He scooted back away from her.  
"C'mon, I'm not going to cut them off or anything. I'm trying to help you. They must be pretty scraped up after all that."  
Slowly, he extended one cautious hand to her. "The other one too." She said. "It'll be easier for me to do both at once."

He pulled back his hand. "Do what?"  
She rolled her eyes "Help them. Look, I mean it when I say I'm trying to help you."  
He relented and gave her his hands at the earnest look in her eyes.

He nearly drew them back again as a cool tingling ran through his skin when she closed her hands over his.  
"All done." She announced, dropping his hands. The cool tingling faded quickly as he drew them back.  
The scabs and cuts from before had vanished, leaving behind only fresh pink skin in their place.

"How did you do that?" He wondered, flexing his hands.  
"Magic?" She answered as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

And perhaps it was, there were few people capable of doing any magic in his village, and all of it was used for household tasks, not healing. "Oh..." He muttered. He put his hands in his lap and looked at her. "Why?" He asked. "Why bother healing my hands?"  
Her soft face hardened indignantly. "I... uh...Well you won't be of much use if you're injured... Uh that's why..."  
He turned from her. "Of course..." He muttered, laying back onto the floor. "Makes sense..."

Suddenly he sat up. "Did they do this to you too? Did they kidnap you too?"  
She stood quickly. "How dare you. Those are my sisters you're talking about. And I am no thrall I am a priestess." She was bristling with anger as she turned and left him. This time, when he heard the door slam shut, he knew she had truly left him alone again. She was a Hylian, wasn't she? Her ears showed her as one. So why would she take such offense to his question. It wasn't as if he had called her a witch. Even people who lived in such a far out country village knew there was little love between the two races. He didn't understand her volatile reaction.

He pushed the tray away across the floor in protest, despite the growling of his stomach.

But still, it didn't feel good to be left alone, and it felt like an eternity before he finally heard the door again. He didn't move from his spot on the floor, merely watching as the Hylian girl came into view and let out a gasp of surprise at the messy remains of the tray before. "What did you do!" She exclaimed. He merely stared at her as she set down another tray and made to pick up the remains. "You're only getting one meal a day, why would you waste it like this?" She huffed. He only watched as she sat before him. "You are making this harder on yourself than it has to be. Many voe would love to be enthralled by a race of vai. In fact a few of them always proposition us once in a while whenever we leave to go trade our goods."

She sighed as she stood again. "I know this must be hard for you, but, you've been given the rare chance to live, don't waste it."

He laid there after she had gone, thinking back on her words. He didn't care about this so called rare opportunity. He wanted out. He wanted to be home. But they seemed to have no intention of letting him go. And there seemed to be no way to escape this cell. And then there was the fact that the girl was right. Even if he did escape the cell, he didn't know his way around and he had no idea how to get home.

It all seemed so hopeless now... And he felt so tired...


	2. Chapter 2

He found that not long after she had left him the last time he succumbed to sleep, though the dry, itchy feeling of his skin nearly had kept him awake.

When he did awaken it was to the sound of the door, which sent throbbing shots of pain through his head. It took him several seconds to regain his bearings. To remember he was in a cell, far, far from home.  
He squeezed his eyes shut again. He was still so tired and what else was there to do but sleep?

When he heard her let out a loud gasp he cracked his eyes open enough to see her hastily set down the new tray and peer through the cell bars.  
She looked over at the untouched tray from the day before and shook her head with a quiet "Oh no..." She looked over at him, face surprisingly etched with worry. "Why wouldn't you... Why would not at least drink the water? One cannot go long without it, surely you know that..." She jumped to her feet. "I will...I will go fetch help. Please, drink the water."  
He made no move to do so, however, causing her small mouth to drop into a deeper frown.

She mumbled another please as she dashed out of the room, leaving the door open behind her. She dashed down the halls until she came upon on a pair of the guards who were tasked with holding a set of keys to the cells of the city.

She tugged on one of the woman's arm with urgency.  
"Zaannah, Nibiru, come quickly I need your keys."  
The woman whose arm she held pulled away. "What is the matter, little blue bird? Why are you in such a rush."  
"It is the voe. He is considerably ill. I must get to him."  
"And you are sure this is not some trick? I would not put it past one of his ilk to feign illness in order to take a hostage in escape."

She nodded. "Zaannah, We both well know the signs of one who is this ill. He has not been drinking and is severely dehydrated, I'm afraid. Take a look at him if you need proof."  
"Alright, alright, little bird, we're coming."

She lead them back to his cell, the jingling of their keys irritating his nerves with every step they took inside the chamber.  
"See? He is ill." The girl said.  
One of the guards clicked her tongue. "Yeah, there ain't no faking that. Look at him, Nibiru."  
"Aye, doesn't look too good."  
The one named Nibiru pulled a set of keys from some hidden pocket and flipped through them. "Ah... Here we go." She shoved the key into the lock and opened the door.  
The girl rushed to his side once the door was open enough to squeeze through. She forced him from his curled spot on the floor and into a sitting position.

"Zaannah, give me one of those cups of water." The woman in question nodded and picked up on of the little wood cups and handed it to her.  
She turned his head, making him look up at her. "Why would you let yourself get to this state?" She shook her head and pressed the rim of the cup against his lips. "Drink." She commanded.

He pulled his head from her grasp. "Why?" He muttered. "Why bother? I'll never see them again..."

She paused, lowering the cup slightly. She understood now. He was like a caged animal that had given up.  
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
The woman named Nibiru shook her head. "There's nothing you can do, Zanora. He's letting himself get like this. He won't last much longer like this. I'll go tell the chief the news."

 _Please, I know this must be so hard for you._ He tensed as a soft voice echoed through his mind.

He looked up to the girl in shock.

_It must be very emotionally painful for you, but please, do not let yourself whither away. Is this what they would want?_

"How are you...how are you in my head?" He croaked quietly. She looked down at him, but said nothing.

_It is a talent of mine. We may speak freely like this so long as I choose to maintain this link._   
_Please, I may know naught of who you spoke of, but if you die, then it is certain that you shall never see them again._

He ventured to try it. _"I...I don't want to die... But I don't want this... I don't want to be a prisoner my whole life."_

_It is not certain you will spend you're life in this cell. However small, there may one day be a chance you may see who you spoke of again. I am sure they wouldn't want you to give up. So please, let me help you._

The woman named Zaannah placed her hand on the girls shoulder and he felt as if some sort of string inside him had snapped as the girl turned her attention to the older woman.  
"Little bird, anyone home in that head of yours?"

He made himself drone them out as they spoke and He pursed his dry lips thoughtfully. She was right, they wouldn't want him to let himself whither away. They wouldn't want him to die. But... how would he ever see them again?  
Her soft voice felt reassuring, though. Life was not set in stone. Maybe one day...Maybe one day he might see them again.

The older woman huffed and strode out of the cell and leaned against the opposite wall.

He nodded slowly. "...Okay..." He whispered. "You're right, they wouldn't want me to just give up." He rasped.  
Zaannah muttered something about delirium but the girl handed him the cup.  
He tried to raise it to his mouth, though his hand shook enough that the girl gently took the cup from him and raised it to his lips for him.

He knew he severely needed water, after having only a glass' worth since he arrived, but he surprised himself with the voracity with which he drank.  
He sputtered as a small bit of water went down particularly fast.  
"Not so fast." She chided, motioning for the older woman to bring her another cup.  
"Slowly. Last thing you need is to choke yourself and end up asphyxiated."  
"Asphyxiated?" He questioned.  
"Dying from lack of air." she said simply, wiping a stray bead of water that started rolling down his chin with her thumb.

She stood when the woman named Nibiru and the woman named Nabri entered the room.  
"Nibiru tells me the whelp is letting himself waste away. I suppose you'd rather we just give him a quick death instead of letting him a long painful one."

"Actually," Zaannah pushed herself from the wall, arms crossed. "Somehow, she just got him to drink two cups worth of water. Seems kinda delirious though, was talkin to himself."

"He will drink and eat for us." The girl said. "I've persuaded him."  
"Will he now?" The Nabri woman raised a slim brow. "I suppose you do have your ways of getting what you want."  
"I would like to have him moved once he is well again. There is a small storage room that has sat empty for many years now near my quarters, as I'm sure you know, Nabri. I would like to move him there. And...Perhaps be my personal servant? I would keep him out of everyone elses hair then."

He made of small noise of protest and she shot him a quick look.

 _We belive actions like yours are cowardly. And cowards are not worth our time. There is a strong chance that they will let you die if I don't take ownership like this._ Her voice wobbled in his head.

"You think you can handle a him own your own? What if he were to pull something against you."  
She looked offended. "You wound my pride, sister. I know well I may be delicate, but I am not weak. You know I can handle myself."  
Nabri stroked her chin. "True..." She mused. "Well...I suppose you always have wanted a pet. Fine, you may have him moved and keep him. Though you will not take care of him completely on your own. We will all keep eyes on him for suspicious movements, as I'm sure you assumed. And I will have some of the others fix up some sort of leash or something to keep him on." She said. "But, I stand by what I said before that the head priestesses shall decided his final fate."  
"Oh, I know, Nabri. They would be quite furious if something like this went by without their inspection."  
Nabri put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just trying to say, don't name something you might have to kill later, okay?" She whispered, though she was just loud enough he could hear her.  
"Right..." She murmured. "I'm sorry that this took up all of your time. If you wish to go back to your duties I will tend to him and then go make the proper arrangements."

The older three woman agreed, though the one named Zaannah stayed behind.  
The girl brought the two cups of broth into the cell. "I will leave these here for you." She said setting them against the wall. "I will send someone to bring you more water soon." She exited the cell and Zaannah pulled the door shut again, the key making a soft clunk as she turned it.

The girl gave him one last look before she left. _Trust me._

A small while after they were gone another woman came in and left him a larger cup of water, though she seemed anything but pleased. He finally gave in to the growling in his stomach and reached for one of the cups of broth left for him.

It certainly wasn't the most pleasant taste, and it was about as cold as the stone around him but he drained the cup nonetheless.

He'd decided. He would not force himself to waste away. He would live and bide his time and hope that one day he could make an escape from this place and make it back home.


	3. Chapter 3

He had long lost track of time when he heard the old door creak yet again.

The Hylian girl entered with a trio of guards at her sides. One of them unlocked the cell and the other two herded him out.

He struggled against them as they took tight hold of his arms while the third clamped a metal collar around his neck. Attached to it was a thin, but sturdy and long chain. As if the entire situation wasn't enough of an embarrassment. At least shackles might've saved some of his dignity.  
They handed the end of the chain, which was attached to a handle of sorts, to the Hylian girl. They followed as she made to lead him away. He had to wonder, though, why hadn't they bound his hands? Was is that they thought him too weak to try anything?

He considered, for a fleeting moment, to lash out and fight back, but thought better of it. It was doubtless that the guards would love it if he gave them a reason to give him a thrashing or worse.  
He let his eyes wander as they led him out of the chamber that held his prison and through what seemed they an endless maze of corridors. Woman peeked out of every room they passed. A few of them even followed them for several minutes before losing interest and returning to whatever it was they had been doing before.

 

The floors of the place were strange. They had walked on inclines and declines and flat floor, all within the same hall. This made the halls a confusing mess to him. How on Din's great earth did anyone find their way around?

he saw light that was not from the torches on the walls up around the bend in front of them. The air quickly grew warmer and he saw a fair amount of sand on the floor he saw a square section of stone that let both the air and light in, and must have been the source of the sand on the floor as it had no glass.

He strained to look outside but was pushed roughly along and given a command to keep moving.

_Our home runs deep in to the rock._ The Girls soft voice said.

The hall they had taken had a few sparse windows set into the rock. All of them glassless like the first.  
Despite having some exposure to day light again he could help but squint when they came to a large doorway and they pushed him outside.

They now stood on what must be the rooftops of the great maze inside. More buildings cut from rock sat all around them. Frankly he would not be surprised if those levels too were connected together with the others.

Bridges and towers interconnected much like around them, much like inside. Some bridges went higher and some lower around a bridge in the middle. A short distance off appeared to be a large market place. And women bustled all round the roof below.

 

They took a set of stairs set into the stone of the buildings, taking them to the roof of that layer of buildings.  
From there they continued. along that level until they took a path right along the edge of the rooftops.

_Not far from here. And our home runs as high as it does deep, as you see._

They stopped at a thin door that had quite clearly only recently been outfitted with large locks and bars. One of them pulled it open while the girl spoke. "This will be where you sleep and spend your time when you are not in my company." She said, leading him inside.  
An unlit torch was to the side of the door. A small, very low table sat in the center of the room, on the table sat a small wooden bowl and a strange looking piece of fruit; and a bed that was little more than a mattress on the floor in the corner.

The room itself was about the same size as the cell, perhaps a tad bigger if he looked hard.

"We will leave you and return to our duties. " One of the guards spoke. "We know you will be wise enough to get help should you need it." That was all they said before the three of them turned on their heels and left, shutting the door behind it.  
Once they were gone she snapped her fingers, producing a ball of flames in her hand. She transferred the flames onto the large standing torch. "There," She said, brushing her hands together. "That should burn nicely for a long while. I too shall leave you now. Soon it shall be evening. Rest tonight."

After a small while he crawled around in his new surroundings. The only possible weakness he could find in the walls was two small, thin slits that acted as a windows that were set high into the wall.

The bowl on the table contained water and there was nothing else in the way of food or water aside from the strange fruit next to the bowl.

He bent down and picked up the strange fruit. It was soft under his fingers and he wondered for a moment if perhaps it was rotten. Any fruits he was familiar with had gone bad if they were soft like this, except perhaps tomatoes. This certainly wasn't a tomato. It was purple instead of red and had a sweet smell to it.  
It was strange to him, but, he concluded, if they were going to make him do physical labor for them it wouldn't make sense for them to make him sick with rotten fruit.

He took a tentative bite, It was fairly sweet though he would not say he was a fan of the skin.

* * *

She was right when she said it would get dark soon. Leaving him with the knowledge that his perception of time had been rather messed up after everything that had happened. And the knowledge that it got very cold, very quickly out in the desert. It had seemed that once the sun had set, the hot air had turned.

He could see his breath despite how close his face was to the fire of the torch as he dragged the heavy thing closer to his bed.  
He pulled it as close as he dared before rubbing his hands together and wrapping himself tightly with the thin blankets of his bed.

He tensed as he heard the heavy locks on the door being opened and a cloaked figure entered. A small pit of fear settled in his stomach as the dark figure slid the door closed behind them. What would any of them want with him during the dark of the night?

"Don't be afraid," He relaxed, if only slightly, as a pale hand emerged from the cloak and pulled the hood down. "I'm here to give you this." She produced a large bundle from her the cloak and dropped it at the end of his bed. It was a thick blanket rolled up tightly.

"I recalled that you have probably never had to endure a night as cold as this. I figured you may need this." Her eyes flicked from him to the torch and back.  
"It- it wouldn't do to have you lose any fingers or toes from the cold." Her tone tried to be cold, though her voice still had hints of warmth to it and he saw the slight flick of her fingers a split second before the fire sprung subtly higher and seemed to burn stronger. "In time I'm sure you will become used to it. Though that will never negate the risk of hypothermia so make sure you stay bundled up, okay?"

She padded back over to the door. "Goodnight...Uh...Sleep well." She slipped back out into the night, locking the door behind her. He reached out and snatched up the blanket. It was slightly tattered and worn, but it was thick.

She was certainly a strange creature. One moment speaking coldly and the next doing him acts of kindness. Perhaps her acts of kindness were merely out of her own interest, but something strange in the back of his mind thought perhaps they were genuine. Likely not, but what ever slivers of hope that came to his mind he would hold onto.  
He muttered a quick prayer for courage as he wrapped the new blanket around himself.

He would need whatever courage he could get if he was going to face whatever fate was going to throw at him.


	4. Chapter 4

He was awakened by a sharp clap. "Time to get up."

The girl stood next to the table, upon which a tray with a small variety of food.  
"C'mon if it were anyone else they've had you up and working by now. I brought you more food and water."  
She plopped herself down onto the floor, sitting cross-legged. She snatched up the same type of fruit he had had the night before.

Cautiously he got up the from the bed and joined her. She picked up another fruit and tossed it to him. "Here, a fig for ya."  
So that's what it was called. He noticed a strange looking fruit sat between them. It was rather large, and reddish pink in color.

She noticed him looking at it and picked it up. "What? Never seen one of these before?" When he shook his head in answer she set it down, bottom lip lightly between her teeth. "No...I guess you probably wouldn't have. I've heard my sisters say they don't grow very good outside the desert." She set her half eaten fig down and produced a small knife. "It's a pomegranate," She took the big red fruit and sliced it in half. "Here," She handed one half to him. "Try it. Though I must say, even if you don't like it you need to eat it. Figs aren't exactly the highest source of fiber, if you know what I mean."  
vaguely, he thought he remembered hearing that name before. Back in the markets of Castle town.

He picked out one of the strange bits on the inside. "Oh, don't worry about the seeds." She said. "They're edible too." She plucked one from her own half and popped it into her mouth. Not too many people really like to eat the seeds, but, fair warning wasting food is probably one of the biggest sins you can commit around here. I don't want to see you flogged, okay?"

"Oh, I suppose actual introductions are in order. My name is Zanora. I suspect you'll be expected to call me Lady Zanora or mistress. I know I lot of vai like it when their voe call them those things. You're a bit different but I think it's a safe bet. Though if you want to be plain about it master might work too, though that'll probably take some getting used to on my part." She wiped a bit of juice from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "What's you're name?"  
He stared at her. Not entirely sure what to make of everything she had just said.

"What?" She prodded. "Speak up, It's not like I intend to call you slave or thrall all the time."  
"My name? It's um...it's"  
"C'mon, out with it, voe. I know this all must be hard on you but surely it hasn't made you forget your name. I promise I won't laugh at it. Even if it sounds silly."  
"...Link, my name is Link." He answered.  
"Link, eh? Good enough." She bit back into her fig.

They ate in silence for a while until he found the nerve to ask her a questing he'd been wondering about. "That one woman in the dungeon, Why did she keep saying I was delirious when you were talking to me like you were?"

"Who?" She asked. "Oh, Zahannah? She doesn't know." She leaned back onto her elbows and causally crossed one leg over the other. "Few know about that, to be quite honest."

"Wouldn't everyone know if one of their priestesses can speak psychically?"  
"No," She answered with a shake of her head lightly. "I just simply have no need to use that ability. It would be rude. Or, at least I think it would be."

"Why did you do it with me?" He questioned.  
"A couple of reasons." She answered. "I didn't think your mind in your current state of depression would've responded well to me outright saying those things." She sat back up. "Besides, they'd never let me live it down if I begged a Hylian to spare his own life." She muttered.

"But you're a Hylian too," He pointed out, and the casual air disappeared.  
"I am not!" She protested.  
"Are too. " He argued. "You're ears are just like mine and you don't look anything like the others."  
"That is not you're business." She snapped. "I do not wish to force you into silence with a spell, but I will not stand idly while I'm being insulted!"

"But if you're not a Hylian, why don't you look like the others? Everything physical about you different than them, but not that different from a Hylain."  
"I just told you that that is none of your business." She stood up quickly. "And for your information, contrary to the popular belief among your kind, we don't all look alike." She huffed. "Now hurry up, I've got to get down to the training ring to help supervise a session today." She crossed the room and waved her finger at him. "The trainees will be getting there soon."

He reluctantly stood and joined her at the door. His hands balled up as she took hold of the wretched chain attached to his neck. Somehow, he thought his pride could survive being forced to work, but he wasn't so sure it could survive being forced to wear a collar and a bloody leash.

She threw open the door and they stepped out into the harsh daylight. "Welcome, Link, " she swept her arm out in front of them in a grand manner, "To Gerudo Fortress."

She led him down a handful of stairs before they reentered The main building. It did not escape him that she was taking him a different way than they path he'd been led the day before. It was long, winding, and confusing. Truly How any of them knew where they were going was beyond him.

They came upon an incredibly large set of doors that were cracked opened just enough that a plethora of voices could be heard. Zanora heaved them open and the voices went quiet .

At least two dozen girls no older than ten at most stood milling about in a disorganized circle.

"Ah, there you are, Zanora," A deeper voice spoke. An extremely muscular woman with hair cut in what he could only think of as a military fashion approached them. A battle axe causally swung over her shoulder. "Cuttin it close this morning aint ya?"  
"Ah, Otsana." Zanora addressed the woman. "Yes, sorry. Took a bit of a round about way today."  
The woman named Otsana grinned. "Ah no worries. You're usually here before anyone else, but, after all, you probably wanted to get to know your new little friend." She winked suggestively.

His face felt hot at the implication in the woman's words. By the gods he hadn't thought about those...sort of possibilities if he was going to be living here.  
Thankfully though, Zanora, too, seemed disturbed by the woman's teasing and cleared her throat, cheeks slightly tinted.  
"In a way, I suppose. Lets get the session going, shall we?"  
"Alright, alright. Gods, I always forget how fun it is to tease ya." The woman laughed.

Link jumped when Otsana gave a sharp whistle that had the large group of girls scrambling to line up. "Alright, worms, You know the drill, grab ya weapons and find a partner, we're working on our brute force this morning. Got that? Good, now don't make me have to interfere."

Each girl in the long line gave a stiff salute and a "Yes Ma'am." Before scattered out of the room before quickly returning with wooden weapons in hand.  
They paired off, seemingly randomly, and wasted no moment before lashing out at each other. Within the first few minutes he had heard quite a large amount of loud thwacks that were accompanied by pained cries.

Zanora and Otsana leaned against a wall, their eyes on the group of kids. Otsana occasionally barking out a name and telling them to correct something they were doing. It seemed so strange, to watch mere children go after each other so bloodthirstily. He flinched as one girl hit the other hard enough with her practice sword that her opponent fell on her back, lip split. She rolled over just in time to avoid the other girl from striking her where she laid. She sat up, spitting a small bit of blood onto the sand.

Otsana gave another whistle that had all of them freezing mid action. "Shanta, Your done, get over here." seeing as only one of them was called by name the rest resumed their fierce practice battle.  
The girl he'd been watching who'd gotten the split lip hung her head as she stood and shuffled between the other girls.

Zanora pushed herself off the way and walked up to the girl. "Hold still, Shanta." She commanded softly. The girl kept her eyes on the ground, her small brow furrowed and golden eyes angry. Zanora gently grabbed the girl by the face and a soft glow emanated from her hands.  
He watched with fascination as the broken skin on the girls lip slowly weaved itself back together, leaving little more than a slightly raw looking pink spot.

"Shanta, Go home." Otsana ordered.  
"But I can still fight," The girl protested. "It was just my lip she didn't knock any teeth out!"  
Otsana crossed her arms. "And that's the fifth time in the past fortnight you've been taken down by your opponent. We're not having this argument again. Go."  
She looked away guiltily, "Yes ms Otsana..." She trudged out of the room looking rather like a whipped dog.

"It's such a shame about her," Zanora commented, watching the small figure leave.  
"Aye, She wants this life badly but she's just not suited for it." Otsana said.  
"I remember that you sent her home last time It was my turn to help you. Thank goodness that tooth Yakira knocked out was just a milk tooth."  
"Indeed. She keeps it round her neck, did you notice?"  
"Yes," Zanora nodded. "What about Ulri, though? She has no partner now."

Otsana whistled once again. "Alright, Irina, you need a break." The girl she addressed did indeed look worn out, her tiny body breathing hard and sweating heavily. She lowered her weapon and joined them, sitting cross legged between the two women. "Thank you, Ma'am. I'll do better next time." She said, wiping her forehead with her arm.

"Olea, pair up with Ulri now." Both girls nodded and joined the other.

The two woman stood chatting idly as they watched the children beat at each other. He couldn't take it any more. He had to say something. "How can you stand around and let little kids beat the tar out of each other!" His outburst seemed to surprise them, more than anger them. "This is wrong on so many levels."  
"Oh?" Zanora's brow went up. "What's so wrong about it. They want to be warriors. They have to train if they want to be strong enough to be warriors." She said.

"I don't want to be a warrior," The girl at their feet piped. "I wanna be a thief like mom. But I have to do this to train for that!" She said cheerily. "I'm not the best at fighting, but I beat the other girls in stealth by a ton, right Ms Otsana?" She looked up at the large woman, who laughed and bent down to tussle her hair. "That's right, girly. You're not going to outrun anyone or beat anyone in a match of strength, but its not much use to be strong or fast if you don't see the dagger coming for ya throat."

"Their just kids! They shouldn't be trying to kill each other!" He argued.

"Looks like you're going to have you're hands full training your pet, little bird." Otsana grumbled.

"What, should they be frolicking in a meadow picking flowers?" Zanora challenged.  
"Yes! exactly!" A bit stereotypical, perhaps, but at least it was a normal activity for a child to do.  
"Well, too bad there aren't any meadows out here." She spat. "This isn't Hyrule proper, pal. We do things differently. Now drop the attitude and shut up."

"If only I could go home, then there wouldn't be arguments like this." He muttered.  
She pulled on the chain, making him look up at her. "What was that? Are you looking for a fight?"  
"Maybe I am." Well so much for laying low until he got a chance to get away.

The commotion caused the group of kids to cease their fighting. Four dozen eyes watched them curiously.

"You think you could beat me? Words or Swords I would kick your rear easily." Suddenly an idea came to him. It was crazy, but if he _could_ beat her...

"Willing to bet on that?"  
That seemed to cool her rage, if but for a moment. "What kind of bet?" She questioned.  
"For my freedom. We duel and if I win, you take me back home, or at the very least to the border of the desert."

"And should I win?"  
"Then...I guess I'm yours to keep."  
"Well that was going to happen anyway. But fine, I accept, so long as Nabri agrees."

Otsana let out a deep laugh. "Don't worry about Nabri, I'll officiate this shebang for ya. Nabri will accept my word on it." She said. "Finally something fun to watch." She dismissed the children from their practice, though the vast majority lingered in the room, eager to see a fight apparently.

Two of them skittered up to Zanora and handed her their practice swords.  
She tossed one to him, and went to the center of the large chamber.

He stood opposite of her, at the edge of the circle of rope, held in place by wooden stakes that made up the main ring in the room. He felt somewhat confident. He wanted to be a knight, and his training for that would come in handy here.

"Alright, Nobody kills anyone, and the first to disarm of knock out their opponent wins. That's all I gotta say." Otsana said, planting her axe in the sand next to her.

Zanora charged at him the split second the word go was uttered by their referee.  
He jumped out of the way and swung at her, though she twisted round and jabbed him in the side.  
He was bigger, presumably stronger, and so he tried to focus on knocking the wooden blade from her hand. Though his sword was strange to him. It was no ordinary short sword. It was curved in a completely foreign way to him which made things more difficult.  
Still though, He seemed to have the upper hand, pushing her back towards the edge of the ring with each swipe he took at her.

Suddenly she planted her sword in the sand and clasped them behind her back. A strange smile on her face.  
Her strange action caught him off guard enough that she closed in on him. Standing mere inches away.

He froze as she slipped her hands under his shirt and settled on his hips, eliciting a small chorus of oooohs and giggles from their little audience. "W-what are you doing?" He choked out. She gave a coy smile but offered no answer as slowly slid her hands around to the front of his stomach.

An answer, however, did come though it came in the form of her suddenly grasping the hem of his shirt and yanking it up over his head. As he made to pull it down she hooked her foot round his leg and sent him off his feet and into the sand with a start, and she snatched the sword from his hands.

"I do believe I win." She said, lazily spinning the weapon in her hand.

"Not fairly!" He protested. "What kind of fight was that!"  
She shrugged. "It's not my fault you froze up like someone who heard a Redead screaming. One ought to be prepared for anything in a fight, should they not? And we were only given the rule to not kill each other. She didn't say we couldn't use tricks."

"Now, kiddos, that's how ya win a fight against a voe." Otsana clapped. "She's right, little voe. I didn't say you guys couldn't pull tricks. Oh man, Nabri's gonna get a good laugh outta this." She slapped her knee before shooing the gaggle of kids out of the room, barking an order to make sure they clean up after themselves this time.  
Otsana strode over, looking down at him with her head cocked slightly to the side. "Y'know, I gotta say, I heard you were small from the others, but that could be said about most voe, compared to our vai. But you, you're barely any taller than little Zenora here. A pair of trained thieves given a run for their money by a tiny one like you, it's almost humorous."

"Well, no more arguments." Zanora handed her sword to a passing child and dusted off her hands. "Supervising the kids training was my main duty today, So I guess I'll return you to your room before small mouths repeat what happened here. I imagine loosing like that is humiliating enough without having an entire community laughing at you as you pass by."


	5. Chapter 5

It had been near a week since he'd been moved from the cell and since the incident in their training grounds. She seemed to have forgotten what happened, seldom mentioning it unless someone else brought it up. She'd been right when she said he'd be laughed at because of what happened. The very next day when she came to fetch him to help move barrels snickering followed them wherever they went in the fortress city.  
She still came by each morning like she did the first time, tray of food and more water with her. What she brought varied each day, though the majority of it was figs and the occasional pomegranate because meat, she explained, was rarer seeing that there was little grass to raise livestock on.

"We're going to the marketplace today," Zanora said, brushing the juice from her fig on her pants. "Ought to get you some proper clothes so you don't stick out quite as much."

"What's wrong with mine?"  
She shrugged. "Nothing really, but you won't stick out quite as much if you're wearing our clothes."  
He tucked his arms together and took a small step back. "Wait, I'm going to have to dress like you?" He wasn't too keen on the idea of wearing an outfit like that.  
"Oh its not that bad. Don't be a baby about it."

* * *

Once she lead him out of the fortress, they crossed the large sandy road that quite obviously saw more foot traffic than horse and cart.

"Through here," She said, leading him through a large set of gates and through a tunnel carved into the rock.

A multitude of voices echoed in the short tunnel.

The tunnel opened to a surprisingly bustling marketplace sprawled out across the sand.  
There were some shops were laid out in somewhat uneven lines, most shops had low counters, with the unpacked goods protected by tarps and the vendor sitting upon a rug. Some shops were taller, the counters a normal level with tarp all around it. Here and there was a much larger stalls, designs pertaining to the nature of the shop painted on the sides of the tent that housed it. Woman shouted greetings at passersby, some even ringing bells whenever someone walked by.  
He found some comfort in the fact that despite the alien atmosphere, somethings such as the habit of market vendors didn't change.  
He followed Zanora closely as she weaved through the stalls, her eyes sharp as she seemed to be searching for someone or something.  
The vendors seemed to hone in on him as they passed, seeing his foreign clothes, his foreign features and called out to him, trying out boast each other to draw him in. Some of them did call out to Zanora, asking friendly questions or giving her a respectful tip of the head.

He did note, that not all of the vendors tried to draw people in by shouting or jangling bells to catch peoples attention, and that those who were quiet watched people come and go with a quiet confidence.

"Ah there's one!" Zanora exclaimed, hustling him through the people and stalls to stop at a particular one.  
He found himself staring at the vendor with some amount of shock. A man welcomed them with a friendly smile, auburn hair falling over pale green eye and pointed ears. He held out his hand to Zanora, his skin the same shade as any Gerudo's.

He'd seen only one other man during his short time in the desert, and it had been a clearly human man that had been dressed in similar clothes to the woman who's arm he hung off of.

"Welcome, Lady Zanora, I see you've brought a new face to my humble stall." She nodded, giving his hand a quick tug and offered her own smile  
"Yes, I'm looking for some clothes for him, think you've got any thing that'll fit him?"  
"So quick to get down to business, one moment." The man ducked down beneath his counter and came up with a large bundle of clothes in his arms. He spread them out carefully before them. "I think you'll find these more than suitable."  
Zanora rubbed the edge of one of the garments between her fingers. "Just what I would expect from a tailor like you, Arook. Yes, I'll take them."

The Man produced a rough looking sack and shoved everything inside. "Normally I'd say thirty rupees a piece, but since you helped me last week, lets say three hundred even for everything."  
Zanora produced a small pouch, and pulled the sum of rupees from it. "Deal." She tossed the rupees onto the counter as he handed her the sack. "See ya round." The man waved as she dragged him back through the market, stopping at the odd stall here and there on the way back to his small room.

"That man back there, he looks like a Gerudo." He said as they walked. "I was starting to think there were no male Gerudo."

Her nose crinkled slightly as she responded. "He's not a Gerudo. He looks like one because he's a half breed. We have voe, but there's one for 'round every hundred of us and they're not recognized as full Gerudo because they're not the king." she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "You didn't buy into that stupid myth that there is only one male born to the tribe every century, did you?"

He shook his head. "I've never heard of that before. Why would people believe something like that?"  
"Because of some old miscommunications . Only one male per hundred years is born full blooded and we keep a tight hold on the precious few halfbreeds we have, so people stupidly began to believe there was only one male born to us at all per century and it stuck.". She explained.

There was something about that that struck him as odd. "But that doesn't make sense. How can only one man be born full blooded?"  
"Chosen by the sand goddess most likely."

She closed the door behind him and rummaged through the bag, pulling out different articles before tossing the bag across the room and onto the bed. "Strip." She commanded and he took a small leap back and gripped the edge of his shirt defensively.  
She waved her free hand in the air, "Don't be such a baby about. Just be grateful I didn't have you change in the middle of the market place." He cheeks burned as she threw at light peace of fabric at him. "Take your shirt off and put this on."  
He grumbled, but did as he was told. The light brown fabric hung loosely to the tip of his fingers.  
She held a pair of pants of the same color up. "These too."  
He took them, holding them close to his chest. "Fine but turn around or something."  
She rolled her eyes, digging further in the bag. "Don't be such a prude, It's not like I'm asking you to take off your small clothes too." She pulled pit a long, bright green piece of fabric and nodded approvingly.

He grumbled, but relented. The pants too, hung past his ankles, the light fabric brushing against his heels. "Are they supposed to be this loose?"  
She looked up at him, a duller green garment in her hand. "yes, now put this on these on." She handed him the garments.  
He slipped on the dark green vest and tied the thick, brighter sash round his waist and she gave a nod. "Okay now the bracers. Gimmie your arms." He stuck out his hands, watching as she gathered up the fabric around his hands and slipped stiff, dark green cuffs around his wrists. "Like this."

She handed him two, slightly longer cuffs. "Put these ones around your ankles so you don't trip on your pants."  
She gave him a nod. "Looks like it all fits good. I'll have to commend Arook on his work next time I see him." She walked over and set the sack down on the mattress on the floor. "For someone who deals mostly in voe clothing he can tell how something will fit anyone. It's a talent."

"The pants and the shirt, they're so light." He muttered.  
Zanora nodded "Yeah, breathable but durable is a must out here in the desert." She clapped her hand around the door's handle. "Now that you are dressed properly, I've promised a friend I'd join her in the training hall and you might as well come with. Might be good for you."

* * *

He got the feeling that in his time in the desert, he would soon memorize the path from his small room to the Training halls.

When they entered the great room, all the weapons that had laid scattered around in the sand were gone without a trace. Instead, a fair group of women moved about in the hall, hips moving in time with the beating of the drums coming from the corner. The group consisted mostly of young women and those just entering the throes of puberty, though a few older women were mixed in with them- instructors, he assumed.

Many pairs of eyes turned to him even as most of them kept dancing.

"I get the distinct feeling that I'm not wanted here." He whispered.  
"You'd be right about that," She laughed quietly. "But if I've brought you with then they can't complain."

"Zanora!" A cheerful voice cried. A girl probably no older than fourteen or fifteen bounded up to them. Her hair was tightly wound over her head, each section ending with a coil that bounced and brushed at the tops of her shoulders as she moved. Her golden eyes were filled with mirth, making the star marked upon her skin at the corner of each eye rather appropriate.  
"Aveilna." Zanora smiled.

Her bright eyes went wide when she came to a stop in front of them, outright staring at him before she broke out into a grin. "So this is Link, huh?" She grabbed at his arm and held it up to her view. "You're not as pale as Sanshaa's husband." She dropped his arm with her odd comment. "Are you guys ready to dance or what?"

"Oh, I don't know how to dance." He said quickly, and the girls smile fell.

" _Shouldn't have said that_ ," Zanora muttered. " _Not to Aveilna anyway_."

Aveilna's smile returned in full as she grabbed him by the hands, tugging him on with as strength he didn't expect from such a small person. "Well then this is the perfect time to learn!"  
He dug his feet into the sand. "I'm really not good at it."  
He stumbled forward when Zanora pushed him forward with an amused laugh. "Only one way to get better at it!"  
Aveilna dragged him further into the chamber, unperturbed by his token resistance.  
"Okay, now stick you leg out like this, and twist your foot just so." Aveilna said, and stuck one arm into the air at an angle. "And strike your arm out like this."

Zanora hooked her foot around his and gently pulled his leg forward when he hesitated. "Don't just stand there and watch us dance, join us!"  
With some trepidation he attempted to mimic the movements Aveilna made, all too aware to the eyes watching him.  
"You weren't kidding about not knowing how to dance." Aveilna giggled. "But you'd be better at it if you weren't so stiff. Relax a little."  
"You must be fluid," Zanora added, rolling her shoulders and hips in one smooth motion. Let go of the feeling of the others watching you.

He sighed forcing himself to relax his muscles and repeated the movement. Aveilna clapped her hands together. "Much better. You'll get the hang of it yet."

It was from that moment on, Aveilna had seemed to make it her personal mission to get him to do it correctly. "I can tell you're a fast learner," She said, sweeping her foot in a wide arch in the sand. "You keep holding yourself back but I can already see you getting better." She praised, her face never dropping the bright grin she wore.

They kept him at it until the eldest woman in the room called break.

Aveilna groaned in protest though she shuffled out of the great hall with everyone else. "There's never enough time." She huffed. Link did not share her opinion and was more than thankful to the old woman who'd broken up the group. The room had been hot with the swarm of moving bodies and any longer he might have started to perspire.

Aveilna joined them on their walk back, chattering amiably with Zanora until they came upon the door to his tiny chamber.

He noted how the door was left cracked open. He had been certain he'd closed it behind him. Zanora too noticed the open door and said some foreign word that sounded like it was a curse. She shouldered the door open with a sigh. On the small table, sat a small burlap sack. "Well I had been hoping to be the one to give this too you..." she picked up the sack and passed it too him. "It's the stuff you had one you when they grabbed you. I had to pull a few strings but I thought it would be a nice gesture."

He opened the bag, Aveilna standing on her toes behind him, peering over his shoulder curiously. He couldn't help but smile as he reached in and felt a smooth, familiar ceramic object.

"What is that?" Aveilna questioned, eyeing the object in his hand.

"It's an Ocarina." He answered, turning the small instrumented over a few times.  
Aveilna shook him by the shoulders excitedly. "Can you play it? Can you?"  
"Uhuh," He nodded. "Sure can."  
"Will you play us something? Please?" She begged.

"Uh, sure." He brought the Ocarina to his lips, playing a quick, fast paced song a girl he'd met in the woods once during a his first hunting trip with his uncle when he was young had taught him.  
Aveilna clapped her hands to the rhythm, her movements clearly only restrained by the small space, and Zanora, he noted with some satisfaction, hummed under her breath as she tapped her foot.

"Where'd you learn how to play?" Aveilna questioned, fiddling with the ribbon wrapped around her wrist. "Could you teach me?"  
She suddenly clapped her hands with a small gasp. "Oh! You and Zanora should play together! A duet!" The younger girls ability to suddenly switch topics without so much as a blink amazed him.  
"I don't know how to play an ocarina, Aveilna," Zanora said.  
"No, but you play that- that thing!" She waved her hands about wildly. "You know the thing, with the strings! That thing!"  
"You mean my lyre?"  
"Yes!" Aveilna cried. "Yes that. You should play it with him."  
Zanora tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Well I suppose maybe sometime I could."

"Let me know if you do. I'd love to dance to something that pretty." Aveilna bounded towards the door. "I'd better get going- Old Asha wants me to help her with some laundry and I better go do that so she doesn't tan my hide."

"See you 'round, Aveilna." Zanora offered a small wave as the girl bounded out the door, her steps sprightly.

"Shes... very energetic, isn't she?" He said.

Zanora nodded, "Yeah. A bit too much so sometimes, but shes a good kid."

He looked down at the instrument in his hands, his thumb rubbing circles over it. "Can I ask you why?"

She turned to him, bemusement in her eyes. "Why what?" She questioned, "D'you mean why I got your stuff back?"  
He shook his head. "No. Well, yeah, that too. But I mean why? Why bother to save me? why bother with me?"

Her face flushed and as she made to shut the door he was sure he'd asked something that would just get him scolded.  
Instead she sighed and sat down on the floor. "I suppose it can't hurt to tell you, if you promise not to tell anyone." She toyed with the fabric of her pants. "But I saved you because I had a dream."

He sat down with her. "A dream?"  
She nodded. "Yeah. You know how I can talk to you in your head? Well sometimes I get strange dreams- premonitions."  
"And you had one about me?"  
"Sort of. There was a eastern wind blowing, and with it came grass and golden flowers. It's all pretty fuzzy- they all are, but it was a good omen, despite the direction of the wind, I knew it was though I didn't know quite what it was trying to tell me and the..."

"And then?"  
"Well, then I saw you and I had a feeling. Probably sounds stupid, but when I have premonitions and feelings, they usually come to fruition in one way or another."


	6. Chapter 6

 

She led him down to the ground floor of the fortress and out around the back of it, up a hill that gave way to a long stretch of sand with a myriad of large targets and wooden structures.

She left him little time to marvel at them, however, leading him through another doorway back into the fortress.

When they entered, he inhaled deeply at the familiar scent of hay and horses.  
Despite the natural darkness and chill of the stone room, none of the animals seemed bothered.

"I'm sure you don't need me to explain that these chambers are the stables." Zanora said, knocking on a wooden beam of one of the pens.  
From a doorway in the wall, a girl entered, a wooden bucket in one emaciated hand and a brush in the other.

Zanora beckoned the girl with the brush and bucket over with a wave. The girl brushed her hair away from her large golden eyes. Though the action proved futile when it all come falling back, covering one eye from sight.

Lady Zanora! Sav'otta! It is nice to see you. What can I do for ya?" She beamed, Her eyes were bright as her smile despite the sickly tint of her skin.  
"Nanya, this is Link." Zanora introduced "He'll be helping you out today."  
The girl, Nanya, looked between them as he did a double take. "He is?" "I am?"

Zanora nudged him with her shoulder, giving him a sly grin. "Yeah, I can't be bothered to babysit you, and Nanya and the other stable hands could benefit from another pair of hands once in while." She said, turning to Nanya. "If you're up for watching him that is."  
"Depends," Nanya shrugged, turning to him. "You know anything 'bout stable work?"  
He nodded, and despite the fact that he had little choice in the matter either way, the prospect of working down here sounded appealing. "I live… I lived, on a farm. It's in my blood." He said proudly.  
"Well then," She tucked the brush under her arm and offered her hand. "Welcome aboard."

"Right then," Zanora dusted her hands together. "Nanya, I'll leave him under your watch. I'll be by later to collect him." She waved a hand, disappearing through the doorway.

"Well," Nanya smiled, motioning to a handful of brooms leaning against the wall. "Lets get sweeping shall we?"  
"Right."

* * *

They'd swept one chamber clean and she directed him to another. One that was meant to be for cuccos.  
But instead of roaming amongst them they were stacked along the wall in cages made of wood and wire.

"Well you must be somethin' special to catch a girl like Zanora's attention. Good to see she aint the possessive type."

 

He paused mid sweep "What do you mean?"  
"Well I a lotta times vai get real possessive over their fellas, seeing as how there's a fair bit more vai here than voe, if you get my drift."

He flushed and sputtered slightly. Nanya paused and looked up at him, leaning on her broom. "You alright there pal?"  
"It's- you don't know?"  
"Don't know what?"  
"I'm not- She's not- We're not…. I'm her slave."

Nanya blinked. "What? That doesn't sound like her to keep a slave."  
"It's a long story."

Nanya resumed her sweeping, shooting him an inquisitive look. "Well we got all day, I'm all ears if you're willing to talk."  
"I… I'm just surprised you didn't know."  
She shrugged. "Well I find myself alone during most of my shifts, and since not many people are jumping to speak with me, gossip is hard to come by."

"Why?"  
She outstretched her broom and playfully knocked him with it. "Don't go changing the subject." She chided. "But tell you what, you tell me your sob story, and I'll tell ya mine."

He gave his boom another push across the floor. "I was charged with keeping a delivery safe, but we were ambushed and when they ran they took me with them to keep me quiet. Next thing I know, I'm rotting in a cell. I refused to cooperate." He explained. "They were going to kill me, I think. But Zanora talked em out of it and she took me as her own instead."

Nanya clicked her tongue, shaking her head with a soft smile. "Now that sounds like Zanora."  
"Yeah. They would have left me for the Leavers if she hadn't stepped in."  
"Sounds like her," Nanya smiled. "So what's it like, livin' under her rule? She treat ya nicely?"  
"It's alright," He shrugged. "Wish I was home, but it could be a lot worse I guess."  
"Yeah, no place like home." She agreed. "But, considering the situation you're in, you probably won the pot. She's a kind soul." She said.

"My turn then, eh?" She leaned her broom against the wall, swiping the hair from her face. "When I was 'bout eight or so, a rather daring Poe invaded the fortress. It got my mother while she slept, and nearly got me. I was saved when some of the others came to recruit my mom in the hunt for it. And I've been sickly ever since." Her gaze fell on her arm. "That's why nobody ever wants to be near me. They think I'm cursed because of the encounter and they don't want to risk exposing themselves to evil magic like that."

So that was why she seemed so unnaturally gaunt. Though he never did hear of Poes cursing people like that.  
But then again, what would a rural farm boy know about the habits of malicious ghosts?

Zanora didn't seem to bat an eye." He commented, thinking back on the friendly way she'd talked to Nanya.  
"No… No Zanora's not afraid. In fact she's often the one that comes to my side when I have a bad night. Sometimes we'll even get together and she tries to fix me. …. Never does work but I'm immensely grateful nonetheless. Personally I like to consider her a right good friend." She picked up her broom again. "My earlier point still stands though."

"What?"  
"That you must be somethin' special to catch her eye."  
"Oh," He gave another halfhearted sweep. "Honestly I think she just felt sorry for me."  
"Maybe." Nanya shrugged. "But she's awful clairvoyant now and again."

"She said something about that to me before. That she sometimes has strange dreams."  
"Uhuh. It's one of the reasons she's so revered. Her dreams tend to mean things. She's done more than a few favors to the tribe by figuring out what they mean. Like this one time a few years back, she was telling everyone she had a dream where everything was dark and the winds had threatened to blow her away. Very next day a sandstorm pretty much destroyed the marketplace. But since she'd warned us about her dream, everybody had already been hunkered down and safe."  
"So that's why people call her Lady sometimes?"  
"Yup. Rumor has it she was blessed by the goddess as a baby." She said. "And to be frank I wouldn't be surprised if its true."

She took his broom from him and left him for a moment, and returned without them. "But I already know about Zanora, and you'll learn soon enough." She said, stalking over to on wall of cages. "I wanna know 'bout you. I've never gotten to talk to a Hylian like you before. What's it like out east? Got any family out there?" She opened one of the cages, and the Cucco inside jumped at the chance to be free.

"Just three in my family aside from me." He answered. He took her lead and began opening cages "It's a lot greener in Hyrule than it is here."  
"No duh. Pretty sure Death Mountains got more green than here." She laughed. "You said you grew up on a farm yeah? You guys got a lot of animals?"  
"The usual. Horses, cows, and Cuccos." He jumped back as a particularly aggressive Cucco made to bite at his hand. "I have my own little orchard though. Grandfather let me plant my own apple trees."

"Oh lucky." She pouted. "I'd kill for my own apple tree."

He'd found throughout his time in the stables that he enjoyed Nanya's company greatly.  
She had an easy smile and a laid back air about her that almost made him feel like he wasn't so far from home. He found himself joking and laughing easily until Zanora had appeared in the doorway in the middle of a laughing fit between them.

Nanya brightened at her presence. "Lady Zanora! Good to see you."  
"Good to see you smile." Zanora said softly before giving him an appraising look. "He didn't give you no trouble did he?"  
"Nah, He was actually pretty useful." Nanya beamed. "You can drop him off again anytime you want."  
Zanora gave her a grin. "Good to know. I'm here to take him back now, if you don't mind."

Zanora and Nanya had said quick goodbyes. But when Nanya turned to him she took hold of his hand and gave it a firm shake with a strength belied by her fragile look.

As they crossed back into the fortress, he ventured to say something. "Zanora, is Nanya... Is Nanya really cursed?"  
She nodded dolefully. "Yes. Whenever I work on her, I can feel an evil presence within her, fighting me and gnawing at her lifeforce."  
"She told me you help her.  
"I do what I can for her, but I don't know enough about dark magic to really help her."  
His gaze fell to his shuffling feet. "That's terrible."  
"It's not so bad though, Nanya is a strong one. To be honest, nobody expected her to live a year past the attack, but look at he now. Sure she's on the frail side and she oft has to rest, but overall she can pull her weight and keeps going."  
"She shouldn't have to be so alone though." He said, brow furrowed. "She can't help it."  
To his surprise Zanora let out a small laugh. "Well well, It seems that you've taken a liking to her."  
"She's nice." He agreed. "That's why it's so terrible she's so alone."  
"She's got a sister, She's not totally alone." She pointed out. "But either way, complaining to me won't help her."

He stopped, a though coming to him. "Maybe it will."  
She slowed and turned to him. "What do you mean?" She inquired. "I can't force anyone to spend time with her."  
"Yes you can. And you have. Me." He said somewhat eagerly. "I wouldn't mind helping her out in the stables again."  
"What, you want me to set you up for the same shifts as her or something?"  
"I guess so, yeah."

Her lips turned up into a small smile that was as soft as her gaze. "Well alright, I'll see what I can do." She said softly. "I don't think anyone will object to that. I know I don't. She could use a good friend."

* * *

She came to him the next morning, much as he'd become accustomed to. She set her tray down upon the low table and witha flourish flashed a piece of parchment in his face. "You got your wish." She said cheerily. "This is a schedule for your new shifts at the stables."

He took the paper happily, but his smile fell as he inspected it. "Do you um, happen to have another copy? I can't read this."  
She shook her head and he set the paper down. "Sorry, but this is what they gave me."  
He sat on the fl oor with a heavy thump, and she dropped crosslegged to the floor, swiping a fig off the tray and biting into it all in one smooth motion. "Y'know, that's something I've been thinking about. You've been here for a little over a fortnight now. So perhaps It's time I civilized you. And that should start with learning to read I should think."

"I can read! And I am civilized!""  
"Sure, you can read _your_ language." She leaned over and tapped the parchment with a tinted nail. "But you can't read Gerudo script. And jeez chill out I know your not some savage, I'm only toying with you." She pushed a fig towards him. "But hurry and eat up. A proper bath is way past due for you."

He looked to the bowl and sponge sitting upon the shelf that he'd been given in his first days. "Right now? I only spent a few hours in the stables I can't smell that bad."  
She chortled. "True you do smell a bit like the stables, but I mean a real bath. Dunk yourself in the water kind." She explained. "It's a bit of a trek to the bathes, so we'll be gone most of the day."

He ate quickly, at her nagging, and she led him to the base of the fortress and to a wagon that was filled with Gerudo young and old.  
The woman at the head of the wagon waved at them. "Zanora! I was starting to think you weren't coming. Yosha is the only one were waiting on now, but she should be here any second."  
Zanora urged him into the wagon and he sat uncomfortably between her and another, much more muscular woman.  
"We're going to the Gerudo valley, There's an outpost there and the Zora's river runs through it." Zanora explained, as if she knew he'd been going to ask. "Its about a four hour ride from here, so get comfy."

A few minutes later another woman came running up and once she had climbed into the wagon, the woman at the reins got them moving.

* * *

He was glad for several reasons when the wagon finally came to a stop at the edge of the a bridge.  
first off it was for his legs, which hadn't fared well squashed amongst a cartful of women, and second was because it meant an blessed end to the slew of embarrassing and invasive questions he'd been subjected to during the ride.

Zanora prodded him on, pointing at some point further along the canyon wall where the other women seemed to be headed. "Up ahead."  
They came to a large, twisting set of ramps that reminded him of the different platforms in the city. The stairs led far down to the bottom of the valley, and at it's bottom, in the river he could make out a few dozens moving dots.

 

When they got to the bottom she led him closer to the edge of the water, and he froze when she grabbed the edge of her top and began pulling it over her head. He looked away, but found that that did nothing to help.  
All around them the other women from their ride had begun stripping down to their small clothes and every person young and old in the water splashed about mostly naked.

He brought his hands up to shield his eyes and hide his burning face and Zanora snorted beside him. "Whats the matter? You can't go in the water still dressed." Her casual words did nothing to mask the amusement in her voice. "C'mon don't be so ridiculous nobody but the infants get to go naked."

When he refused to budge, she slipped her fingers under the hem of his shirt, causing him to jump. "Oh come on, I'm not going to wait all day for you to get over yourself. Either get undressed or I'll do it for you."  
"Okay okay!"  
She directed him towards rows and rows of woven baskets and dumped both their clothes inside and empty own.

He followed her nervously into the water, trying look anywhere but the unnervingly underdressed women. It didn't help any that he seemed to garner twice as many stares as usual.  
"Loosen up," Zanora chided. "You look more tightly wound than a Skullwalltula that's just spotted its prey."  
"Well this isn't exactly normal!" He whispered hoarsely. "It's downright indecent for me to be here."  
"Well by our standards its not indecent for you to be here, just unusual since most voe come to bathe on a different day since most vai are pretty possessive." She shrugged. "I suppose you Hyruleans are pretty prudish huh? I bet you've never even seen a womans bare ankle before you came here." She teased. "Don't worry about the stares and don't worry about staring, just stick to your own business and you'll be fine."  
She pressed a silver of soap into his hand. "Now wash up."

"Its so shallow, is there anywhere deeper we could go?" He asked, noting that the water didn't quite reach his waist where ever they went.  
"No, all the water in the perimeter is about the same level." She knelt down into the water and motioned to the fences at either end of the river that ran the width of it. "It's too deep to stand in past the fences, and there was many rapids through the valley that not even Zora use this part of the river." She explained. "Just kneel down like I am and you'll be fine."

Long after both of them had washed they had stayed, Zanora happily conversing amongst her peers while he stood awkwardly behind her.

Every head turned at the sound of screams coming from both child and adult.

A young girl, probably no older than five if he had to guess, had climbed up the edge of the fence that separated them from the deeper waters and the rapids downstream. Another, slightly older girl had produced the first scream, and a woman who looked to be the childs mother had given the second. The pair yelled at her, demanding she come back down before they made her. The little girls face twisted up displeasure but she made to climb down.

The girl started to lose her balance. Beside him Zanora gasped and the mother screamed again as she slipped, grabbing onto the edge of the fence and dangling above the water. He found himself bounding through the water before he'd quite realized what he was doing. The child fell into the water with a shriek of her own that was quickly cut off by the water as she was pulled under.  
He hurled himself up onto the fence and pushed off, landing in the water a few feet behind the little girl, who screamed and thrashed wildly as she bobbed in the stream.

He wasn't the best swimmer- In fact it had been a popular taunt from his peers during the summer months- but compared to these women of the desert, he may as well have been a Zora. He stroked hard to catch up with the girl and snatched her round her waist with one arm as the other worked to keep them both afloat.

"I've got you." He told her in broken breaths. "It'll be okay." He said, though he himself wasn't entirely convinced by his words. This was not a part of the Zora River he knew. There were no overhanding branches to grab or roots seeking to soak in gentle waters one could use to pull themselves out with.

"Link!" Zanoras voice called over the rushing waters. He looked to the edge of the river, where she was atop a horse was running very uneasily on the thin strip of ground between the river and the canyon wall. Another woman sat in front of her, controlling the reins while Zanora held out a halberd over the water.

The woman spurred the horse on faster until they were some distance ahead of him. The woman yanked the reins, bringing the horse to an abrupt halt. Zanora slipped off the horse and knelt over the water, holding onto the top f the halberd. "Grab on!"

He did what he could to push them closer as the increasing current would let him and he grabbed on, jarring his arm painfully and pulling Zanora dangerously forward.  
"Grab on," He ordered the little girl, who was all to glad to obey. She grabbed onto the poll with what strength her small arms had and the other woman took hold of the halberd from behind Zanora and together they pulled. Zanora let go of the pole to grab hold of the child from her precarious perch and pulled her none too gently away from the water And He twisted round to grab on with his now free hand.

The other womans foot slipped against the sandy rock as she pulled, sending her to her rear and him backwards into the water. He sputtered and flailed, barely hearing Zanora scream his name. She sounded panicked, and one look ahead told him why. Ahead the river dipped, giving way to the rapids she had told him about.

Zanora ran, her bare feet flying against the rough ground. Desperate, she threw out her arm, and the water ahead iced over at the top in a jagged, even line. The ice looked thin and fragile, but when he was pushed against it by the current, it held. He clung to it, despite the burning feeling the magic gave him and slowly pulling himself along the length of it until he came close to the bank, where Zanora knelt and held out her hand.  
He took her offered hand and pushed off the ice, helping her pull him out of the water.

He rolled onto his back, letting his head rest in her lap and closed his eyes, panting to catch his breath. His eyes snapped open, however, when Zanora ran her hand through his dripping hair. "Are you alright? Do you need medical attention?" She looked down at him, her large eyes filled with concern.  
He gave a weak nod in answer and made to sit up. She helped him up and offered him a wary smile. "Wanted out so bad you jumped into the river, huh?" She teased, albeit halfheartedly. She untied the sheer wrapping from around her waist and threw it over his shoulders. He drew it tighter around him as they stood and began walking back to the outpost.  
"Should've known I couldn't get out that easy." He joked.

She nudged him with her elbow and placed her hand upon his back, and he sighed at the gentle heat that spread from her palm. "Thanks, that feels great."  
"Don't mention it."

When they got back, the mother and the older girl both preened over the little girl, alternating between expressing their relief at her safety and berating her for her carelessness; and the woman who'd been on the horse with Zanora was slowly guiding it up the ramp.  
The mother and girl stopped their preening as they neared.

The little girl padded up to him, letting out a barrage of foreign words that sounded like thanks before darting behind the older girl. The girls mother approached them and he stiffened as she pulled him into an embrace. "Sarsqo, sarsqo! My daughter owes you her life. Should you ever need a witness, we are honor bound to help you." She released him, and herded the two children towards the lines of baskets.  
It seemed that every pair of eyes was on him again but the gazes seemed different, less invasive than before.

"C'mon, let's go grab our clothes, we can probably wait around the outpost until we can catch a wagon." She took hold of his hands and pulled his arms out in front of him, inspecting the angry red skin where he had touched her hastily formed ice. "Does it hurt? I can probably heal some of that while we wait."

"What does sarsqo mean?" He inquired.  
"In your language, It means thank you."

* * *

When they returned to his room, he all but collapsed onto his bed with a tired sigh. They hadn't had to wait too long for another wagon to show up and the ride back had been blissfully quite compared to the ride there.

Zanora picked up the brush she had bought him from the shelf and knelt next to the bed. "Sit up, your hair is a wreck." He obliged, somewhat grudgingly, and took the brush.  
She fidgeted with her nails. "What you did out there... I can't decide whether it was incredibly selfless or incredibly stupid."  
"Probably both." He mused, running the brush back through his hair. "Can't any of you people swim?"  
"Gee, you think that living amongst all this sand we should all be swimming like Zora!" She rolled her eyes. "Most of the river running through the valley is too rough for most fish even. So no, Gerudo can't swim."

"...Why did you come after me? You could've fallen in yourself." She flushed at the sudden question, looking away.  
"Well I couldn't very well leave you to get bashed up and drowned now could I? Not after all the strings I had to pull for you." She said curtly. Then, lightly scratching at her forearm she said with a sigh "I... I don't know, I panicked I guess and just ran. I just... I couldn't let that happen to you, okay?" She sighed again, venturing to look at him. "Don't expect me to say it in front of the others, but you were really courageous out there. I respect that."

He offered her a tired smile and held out the brush. "Here, your hairs not looking to fancy either."  
She took the brush, but shook her head softly. "It's okay, I'll take care of mine when I get back to my room." She stood and gently set the brush back on the shelf. She bent quickly, pressing her lips to the crown of his head for one fleeting moment before heading for the door. "Get some rest, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."


	7. Chapter 7

Aveilna nipped at their heels, chattering on amiably as they walked amongst the fortress rooftops after joining the girl in her dancing.

A dark pair of figures flagged them down from a level above and Aveila waved back at them excitedly.  
The young girls face brightened at the pair of girls likely around Link and Zanoras age as they approached. "Hey 'Piyo! Yumi!"She cried, waving her arms about wildly. "C'mere! I don't think you've met Link yet!" Even from a few yards away Link could tell they shared a glance before slowly making their way over, long black sleeves billowing as they moved.

Everything about them, from the features of their faces to the style of their clothing was identical save for the color. Aveilna turned to him "These are my sisters, Apiyo and Fuyumi. They study magic!" She said excitedly, pointing between them both and marking the one with red accents as the former and the one with blue as the ladder.

They voices were synced as they greeted him curtly and turned to Zanora. "The All-Mothers have returned. "They said simply and Zanora dipped her head in understanding. "They wish to speak with you."

Zanora's smiled faltered. "I had figured they might. It was to be expected."  
"They sent us to tell you to wait for them in the chapel and they will meet you there shortly."  
Zanora nodded. "I understand, thank you both."

The sound of a gong coming from the top of the city, signaling the turn of the hour, made the pair incline their heads off to the side.  
"We have to go," Said Fuyumi. "Or else we will be late for our studies." With that they turned on their heels, striding briskly away.  
Aveilna kicked at the ground, crestfallen. "Yeah yeah. Study time…."

"They must take their studies pretty seriously," Link said, wondering exactly why Aveilna had so suddenly switched moods.  
"Yeah, they do." Aveilna agreed. "They were chosen when we were little to be the All-Mothers apprentices, so they have to study and practice their magic a lot." She straightened, apparently over with her melancholy. "Whelp, I better get back to my studies too." She gave them both a broad smile. "Come back often so we can do it together!" She twirled- quite literally- away, humming the song they had danced to.

Zanora nudged him, drawing his attention away from Aveilna's flittering, retreating figure and back to their walk.

"Poor Aveilna," She sighed "She's practically on her own you know,"  
"What about her sisters?"  
"Like Aveilna said, the twins study- a lot. They're hardly ever in their own family chamber from what I hear."  
"What about their parents?"  
Zanora shook her head. "The twins and Aveilna came from different fathers, and a few years after Apiyo and Fuyumi were chosen to be apprentices to the All-Mothers, their mother died from an Illness that swept through the tribe." She explained. "She is very well liked though, which is good for a social creature like her." She smiled.

* * *

As they walked, crossing one of bridge that spanned from one side of the fortress to the other, he couldn't help but notice her fidgeting.

"Are you okay? You seem kinda squirrely."  
"It's nothing, it's just the All-mothers can be kind of unnerving. They're very powerful and their presence is quite ubiquitous."

When they came to a chamber filled with rows of ornate cushions that had a few women kneeling on them here or there, he knew they were there. The chamber was a far cry from the grand temples or the more humble sanctuaries of hyrule, with its lack of windows, cushions in place of pews and a large statue of a strange woman holding a snake at the far end of the room, but the smell of incense and the act of praying was unmistakable.

Zanora knelt in front of the statue and he copied her, but when he knelt down, she stood and quietly paced in front of the statue.  
"What are you so nervous for? Surely you must already know them, and everybody loves you so whats the matter?" He questioned.  
"I wouldn't say everyone loves me, but regardless its not me I'm worried about. It's you." she answered.  
"Me? Why are you worried about me?"  
"The All-Mothers have the power to say whether you still get to live or not." She stopped her pacing to fidget with her nail, he noted, that at the mention of the All-Mothers, that at least two of the women quietly stood and shuffled out of the chamber.  
"I thought the chief gave the okay for me to live as long as I'm your slave." He pointed out.  
"She did," Zanora confirmed. "But if they believe it for the best, the All-Mothers could still order you to be left for the wolfos or so on, and it would be done with no complaint."  
"Surely they wouldn't though, right? The chief just commented the other day about my "good behavior" remember?"  
"Yes, she did." She knelt again on the cushion next to him, her voice low as her eyes swept about the room. "But the All-Mothers are not known for their mercy."

He cleared his throat and looked to the statue as a new topic. "So who is that woman supposed to be?"  
"That is the Goddess of the sand. She's to us what those three are for you."  
"Really? I suppose that explains the lack of triangles around here." He said. "But don't you revere them at least a little?"  
"No, we don't. Your legends praise them so highly, but If your goddesses are as merciful as your legends say, they've never shown us any kindness, so why should we revere empty promises?"

"Quite right, young one." He jolted at new voice that spoke up from the doorway. A pair of identical elderly women stood in the doorway, the beaded curtain still rustling softly behind them. Their hair was curled up in a rather a peculiar fashion, and their wrinkled skin had a strange and sickly green tint the like of which he'd never seen. They were short, their backs bent was age and each propped themselves on a broom, of all things.

Zanora leapt to her feet and the remaining three women in the room quietly excused themselves. "Mother Koume, Mother Kotake. It is good to see you again. The Goddess must be smiling upon your safe return." She smiled as they approached, any sign of the nervousness she'd displayed before had vanished. ""I pray you had a pleasant journey. Do you perhaps bring news of the king?"

These women, much like Aveilna's sisters had distinguished themselves with red and blue accents on their dark robes. And he was left wondering how they weren't suffering heatstroke being covered so thoroughly and in such a dark color.  
"We have come to see the interloper." The one with red said with her crackling voice. "But yes, he has continued his journey further into the desert to seek the nomads."  
"I pray he returns to us safely." She stepped off to the side, shooting him a quick, uneasy look. "Here he is. I believe if you speak to Nabri you'll find everything is in order. He's got a bit of a loose tongue on matters he does not understand, but he behaves very well and has given us no trouble."

The pair stepped forward, their large eyes sharp. They circled him, and a strange sense of familiarity and dislike washed over him. He knew he couldn't know either of them, yet something deeply rooted in his mind sent him on the defensive. Perhaps this feeling was what had set Zanora so on edge earlier.

"What do you think, Koume?" The blue one asked.  
"He's rather on the small side for one of their kind." The red one answered.  
"Yes indeed. At least he's not the worst looking among them, not the worst choice for a priestesses companion."  
"Ha! Call it like it is, Kotake, He's no companion, he is an insect. You don't keep insects as pets."  
"True... hmm I'm not so sure about his usefulness in the field, he doesn't seem to have that much muscle.  
"You're right about that. It's no matter, he can build muscle or fail."  
"Hard to believe one like him could have caused so much trouble, isn't it, "

"Like I said, he's very well behaved. Nabri could attest to that. so could Hama and her daughters As well as the stable hand Nanya, and the sister of your apprentices, to name a few witnesses if you need…." Zanora interjected.

The pair stopped their circling to face her. "We've decided," They old croaking voices were eerily in synch as they spoke. "That Madas shall have the final say whether he may stay or be cast out. Until then you may keep him." With that they had turned and swept out of the room as swiftly as they had come in.

Once the curtain had stopped it's rustling Zanora let out a heavy breath. "Thank the goddess I was sure they were going to say you couldn't stay. It's your lucky day, Link."  
"What about this Madas person? It doesn't sound very good that my fate lies on yet another person..."  
"Don't be silly. Madas is a fair voe. And if nothing else I'm sure I can persuade him, he trusts my judgement and will listen to what I have to say." She gave a roll of her shoulders. "Now, lets get out of here. I've promised to help out around the nursery in exchange to borrow a slate and some chalk and I suppose it can't hurt to go early."

* * *

When they passed through an open chamber with a large stone fireplace and an even bigger cauldron, Nabri beckoned them from her seat as a large table and Otsana gave a small wave from across the leader.

"I assume you've head that Koume and Kotake have returned. I suggest you keep an extra tight hold of his leash now." Nabri said, her sharp golden eyes sweeping the small room. "I heard whispers that they weren't so keen on the idea of keeping a Hylian so close to you."  
Zanora took a seat next to Nabri and he awkwardly sat on the opposite end as Otsana. "I know, they requested my presence not an hour ago in the chapel. Made me worry terribly."

Otsana grimaced. "Well I hope it was at least decent enough news. I'd hate to have to drag the boy out behind the fortress now."  
"It is." Zanora folded her arms over the tables surface. "It's actually pretty good news. They said Madas will have the final say."  
Nabri gave a scoff accompanied by a sly smile. "Well then you've got nothing to worry about then. He'd listen to you over his own sister."  
"Don't say that Nabri, You know he values his sisters opinion as much as mine."

"So it is a good thing this Madas guy is going to have a say?" He questioned. "I don't have to worry?"  
"Probably not, but don't get too comfortable yet. However unlikely it is the king could have you thrown out." Nabri answered. "And he is the King, mind you, not just some random voe, and it would be wise to address him properly."  
"I hope not. I don't think I want to be mangled by Otsana or anyone else."  
Otsana laughed, leaning forward in her seat. "Boy, you especially don't want it to be me if someone is going to mangle you. I may not look it, but I was almost an Iron Knuckle once."

"Iron Knuckle?" He inquired. "Whats that?"  
"One of our most elite warriors. They defend our most sacred locations." Zanora explained.

"Oh..." He looked to Otsana. "What stopped you?"  
"Damn Leavers." She answered with some asperity. "I was on a team chasing a gang of Bulbins that was getting to close to our temple. One of the little boogers knocked me off my horse and as I tried to get back up a damned Leaver popped outta the sand and got my foot before I could kill it."  
"And there isn't any magic or potion that'll fix that." Nabri shook her head.

He gaped at her. "You lost a foot? But I've seen you walk and run and fight just fine?"  
Otsana leaned down and tapped her knuckles against her lower leg. "This ain't real." She laughed. "Took me a few years but I learned how to fight again. Hell I probably fight better now that I can use my own leg as a bat."  
At this Nabri laughed. "Remember that time you drop kicked a Megmat all the way across the fortress?"  
"Indeed I do." Otsana said proudly. "Dumb little monster never knew what hit it."

Zanora slid out of her seat. "I should probably get going. Promised I'd help in the nursery."  
Nabri stood and clapped a hand over Zanora's shoulder. "Good luck with that. Try not to get vomited on." She moved, jostling him as he stood from his seat.

She leaned in close for the smallest moment, her breath brushing against her ear. "Don't trust the mothers."  
She pushed him aside brusquely. "Watch yourself, Voe." She disappeared down one of the halls.  
Zanora shrugged and nudged him forward down a different hall. He risked a glance back to find Otsana giving him a sharp, knowing look before she too stood and went her own way.

* * *

When they came upon a door with an oddly high handle Zanora paused. "Since it's you're first time in the nursery, I should warn you to mind your ears."

"My... ears?"  
"Yes, I always have to be mindful of mine or else tiny hands love to pull on them."

When she opened the door, a older woman with her hair tied up in a bun upon her head and little makeup on her aging face greeted them. "Zanora, Vaa'sag. you're here early. Come in, come in, children."  
The woman passed Zanora a baby and motioned her further into the room and looked at him with a critical eye and shooed him along behind her.  
A few other women, certainly younger than the first women but much older than they were milled about the room, chasing toddlers or sitting in upon plush cushions holding sleeping babes or nursing infants.

Zanora sat crosslegged on the floor and found herself swarmed in moments by the little ones big enough to toddle. He found himself watching her as he took a place on the floor next to her. Her silver laughter mixing with the squeals and babbling of her tiny followers. He noticed that whenever a small hand approached her ears, she was quick to distract its owner.

He gave a small squawk of pain as one of his own ears was given a sharp tug. The culprit was a little girl no older than four, who clapped her hands over her mouth in an attempt to hide her bubbling giggles, her bright yellow eyes alight with mischief as she scurried off. Zanora too gave a laugh at his expense. "I warned you to mind your ears. At least somebody else now knows my pain."

A younger woman came in, cradling a fussing baby in her arms and turned to the older woman, "I tried to get her to sleep for you before I brought her, but she refuses. I've noticed a new tooth beginning to break through."  
Zanora placed the baby she had been holding in his lap before he could protest and rose to meet the newcomer. "I can take her for you, go on ahead to your shift." She took the baby from the woman, who nodded in return. "Thank you, Lady Zanora. Hopefully she calms soon for you." Zanora paced around the room lightly as the mother left, bouncing the babe in her arms.

The infant in his own lap stared up at him, wide eyes almost unblinking as she watched him silently. He stared back, not entirely sure what to do with her. He'd had plenty of experience playing with the young children in the village back home, but not with the babies. The mothers back home would be hard pressed to even let their husbands watch their infants so what reason would he have to watch over one?

But she seemed content to simply stare at him, suckling on her fist, so he turned his attention back to Zanora, who was carefully stepping over and around children as she sang a wordless song under her breath. The notes soft and flowing as she swayed gently to the tune. It took a few minutes but the baby in her arms quieted down until she finally stilled, breathing deeply. Zanora placed her in a small wooden crib and returned to her spot on the floor next to him.

"Well that seemed to work well." He commented.  
"It's a lullaby I think. Sure works like one." She said. "Used to sing it to myself when I was a kid."

He turned his head quickly at the feeling of tiny fingers curling around his ear. The same little girl from before grinned at him, ducking behind Zanora.  
Zanora turned to face the little one, saying a few quick words in a foreign tongue and shooed her away. Apparently scolded, she scampered across the room to one of the older women sitting on a cousin, peering over cautiously from the womans lap.  
Zanora glanced down at the babe she had left in his lap. "Do you want me to take her back?"  
He nodded. Having someone or something stare at him so thoroughly was a tad unnerving. Zanora leaned forward, grabbing hold of the babe.

He jerked back in surprise when she let out a screech as Zanora pulled her away. "Or I guess she can stay with you." Zanora placed her hastily back into his lap and she grabbed on tightly to the front of his shirt. Across the room a few of the women snickered.

* * *

When it came time to leave the nursery removing the baby from his lap had proven difficult. It had taken him awkwardly trying to mimic the song Zanora had sung as he bounced her in the crook of his arm until she'd finally succumbed to sleep.

When they left Zanora hummed her song, holding a slate in one hand and a few small pieces of chalk in the other. "I figure we can start you're lessons in the morning." She said, tucking the slate under her arm. "It might help you not stand out so much."

A thought struck him and he paused. "You really want me to be like you guys, don't you? I can't be one of you."  
"Well obviously not, unless you can shapeshift and haven't told me." She scoffed. "I know you'll never be one of us. You're too Hylian. But that doesn't mean you can't learn to stand on your own among us. Don't you want to be more accepted?"  
"... I don't know." He admitted. "It's hard and I'm still adjusting and I just want to go home..."  
She stared at him silently for a long moment. "I know you're probably still hurting over everything, but the hurt will heal in time."  
"Yeah, and then there will be a scar..." He muttered.  
"A scar is stronger than normal flesh." She said softly. "Scars remind you of who you were. Look, I know that this whole situation was complicated the moment it started, but... couldn't you be content here with me? Don't you think that maybe one day you could realize it's not so bad?"

He looked away, avoiding her probing gaze. "I... I don't know. Maybe? It's just... hard to think about."  
"Well I pray that one day you'll see." She said, turning away and walking forward. "Lets get you back to your room, yeah? And maybe try to get to sleep earlier so I don't have to wake you up at noon for once." She teased.

* * *

In the dimly lit room, two haunched figures paced wildly despite their slow steps.

"What should we do, Koume? His spirit- did you sense what I did?"

"Yes. Very powerful spirit indeed. A soul that strong doesn't happen without some form of divine meddling."

"We should just have him executed now. It's too dangerous to have someone like that around Zanora."

Koume held up a hand. "No. If we simply kill him now Zanora will be upset- ask questions. And if Zanora is upset and asking questions, Madas will start asking too." Koume threw her hands in the air "Besides, a spirit like that won't die just because we kill the body it's in." She muttered.

"Then what should we do?" Kotake repeated.

"We keep our word and let Madas have the final say whether he lives or dies. We won't risk losing either his or Zanora's trust."

"But clearly Zanora is already partial to the boy! Madas is guaranteed to let him live because of that!" Kotake cried.

"Then we make it clear that he is still an interloper, and if he so much sticks on toe out of line it will be his head." Koume explained. "But don't you see, Kotake? The fates have blessed us again with his presence. The voe has the soul of a hero, and he is here and under our control."

 


	8. Chapter 8

_**H** is feet tread uncertainly through the forest, every twig snapping underfoot causing him to jump. He shouldn't have wandered away. He was told not too, he should've listened._

_Now he was lost._

_He stumbled back as a bright light zipped past his eyes, causing the strange fog that had fallen when he'd wandered off to swirl. The fog itself was mysterious and unnerving, but what creeped him out the most was the whispering laughter he swear he could hear. The feeling that he was being watched... He fell back with a cry as a young girl materialized before him as if out of the air itself._

_She blinked down at him, her large blue eyes wide. "...Link? Is that you?"_   
_He looked up at her, the pain of the stick digging into his side forgotten. "You know my name?"_   
_The girl nodded, her bright green, almost grasslike hair and the small leaf tucked behind her long ear bobbing along. "Yes... You've changed." She sounded disappointed, and he grabbed at his arms and face in a hurry, suddenly worried he might've been turned into a monster like so many stories said happened to people who got lost in these woods._   
_"Don't worry you're not a monster." She giggled. "But you are different. You're not grown up anymore... and you're not that gold wolf anymore."_   
_He stood and brushed himself off. "What do you mean? I've never been a grown up or a wolf."_   
_The girls small smile fell "No... It's just you, isn't it."_

_She clasped her hands in front of her hopefully, and he noticed her skin almost looked as if it were made from freshly cut wood. "If you're here, won't you come back with me? Everyone misses you, even Mido! He says he sorry he picked on you so much when you were our size. When you stopped coming back Fado said you finally died and turned into a stalfos but I knew you couldn't have because you were that pretty gold wolf- I saw it and I just knew it was you- I just knew it- But now you're here again and you can come back to us!"_   
_"Who?"_   
_"They are-" Her face fell, her blue eyes downcast. "You don't remember, do you? You don't remember them? You don't... remember me..."_

_He shook his head. "I don't know who you are. But I do know that I'm lost, can you help me? I need to find my uncle_   
_The girl turned her head away her face stony and her eyes closed, and it was then he realized that the leaf was not at all tucked behind her ear, but sprouted from her skin. The light of the fairy bobbing by her head illuminated a solitary tear that ran down her cheek._   
_She swiped it away as she opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Sure I can help you. My name is Saria."_

_The goal had been to get him unlost, but Saria was quick to point out a myriad of interesting things and before he knew it they were running around the forest, playing games and chasing each other until the filtered light from the trees had dimmed and evening began to set in. He hadn't even noticed that as he chased after her, laughing, that the dreamlike fog had lifted._   
_It was great fun, even though Saria seemed to have an unfair advantage to their game, somehow always slipping from sight if she got too far away._

_He stopped, causing Saria who at that moment had been it, to crash into him. His ears twitched, trying to pick out a certain sound._

_"Link!"_   
_"Uncle!"_

_He turned around to face Saria and her fairy. "I forgot! He's going to be so mad. I have to go!"_   
_Saria grabbed his wrist, her eyes filled with some emotion a ten year old couldn't place. "Before you go, I have something for you, and something to teach you." From some unseen pocket she pulled out a small oblong object and held it too her lips. "Listen closely, okay?"_

_He nodded, eyes fixed on her small fingers that were almost too small for the holes on the instrument as they moved and she played a light, airy song._   
_"Now you try." She held it out to him, and he took it uncertainly. "_

_He was surprised to find it almost felt natural to play it, mimicking her song with only a few mistakes that made him feel proud._   
_Saria clasped her hands in front of her with a grin. "That's it! That's my special song. Please, never forget it, even if you forget me again."_   
_"I won't."_   
_She stuck out her hand, sticking out her little finger. "Promise!"_   
_He met her pinky with his own and they shook. "I promise."_

_"The Great Deku Tree told me that the reason you were here before was that you had a great destiny. You must have another one if you are here again. Please don't forget. You've got to wake up." Her voice changed strangely with those final words but The sound of something large crashing through the foliage distracted him. "Link!"_

_He waved his hands. "I'm here, Uncle!" He spotted his uncles large form between the branches not far away. "Over here!"_   
_He turned to tell Saria goodbye, but where she stood not a minute ago was nothing but empty space. He held out the small instrument "Hey! I've still got your thing!"_   
_He stared off into the distance, hoping she might come back until his uncle finally got to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Boy what are you doing!" He shouted. "You've had me worried sick! I feared that a wolfos got to you, or worse."_

_He looked up at his uncle. "It's okay, Uncle Alfon. I played with a nice girl and her fairy." He said. He held up the instrument. "She let me play on her thingy but I think she forgot it."_   
_Bewildered, his uncle took the instrument from him, holding it up to his face. "Boy, where on earth did you get an Ocarina from?"_   
_"It's Saria's. She let me play it and left without it."_   
_"Well I'm afraid whoever that is is going to have to miss it. Its nearly dusk, we've got to get out of the woods before nightfall. It's not safe."_

_His uncle handed him back the ocarina and did the strangest thing...He grabbed Link by the shoulders and shook him._..

He sat up with a gasp, and heard a small oof sound. His arm was met with a smack and Zanora crossed her arms from her spot on the floor. "Finally! I've been trying to wake you up for at least five minutes. I was practically throttling you in your sleep."  
He rubbed at his arm. "You were?"  
"Yeah. You wouldn't wake up. Kept tossing and turning and muttering." She stood up and he followed. "Who's Sareeah, by the way? Girl back home you fancied?"

"No! No, shes just a friend. She's the one that gave me my Ocarina."  
Zanora stretched before dropping into a crosslegged position at the table. "Still, that must have been some dream."  
He sat down across from her. "Felt more like a reliving memory to be honest."

She pushed the slate across the table to him. "Well, memory or dream, you should get started."  
They ate as she made him run through exercise as they had nearly every morning in the week since she'd been given the slate and chalk to teach him with. He'd memorized a fair number of the letters. Enough that he could write his own name correctly anyway. Now whether he could write it in a way that was readable was another story. He seemed to struggle correctly writing the thick letters that swooped and curved in a way so unlike his own.  
He had in his time thus far learned a handful of words, but the words heard as they would pass through the halls were lost on him. He knew he was a voe, and they were vai, but that was about as far as his vocabulary went. Something he was sure Zanora intended to fix. She was a stern teacher, but she wasn't cruel about it. In fact, She had been a rather attentive teacher, yet this morning, he noted, her mind seemed far off from his lessons.

"What's on your mind?" He asked, picking up his own fig, wishing slightly that there had been a bit of meat to the meal as there had been yesterday morning. Or even a bit of voltfruit, even if it had made his tongue tingle. "You seem distracted."  
"I suppose I'm thinking about my own dream," She admitted. "I saw great clouds rolling over the hills, bringing darkness from above. Guess I'm trying to figure out if that is a good omen or a bad omen."  
He bit into his fig, "Sounds like a storms comin'"  
"I sure hope so."

"You want it to storm?"  
"Of course," She answered. "Any rain we get is a blessing. So it would be nice to be able to fill some barrels for ours stores without having to go all the way to the river. Collecting from the river is a dangerous task you know."  
"Because you guys can't swim?"  
"Of course. Slip up and fall and all you can do is pray you don't drown." She shrugged. An independent group tried to get some from down river of the bathing area and lost a woman last year. They never did find her body."  
He shuddered. If he had been terrified as he had been thrown around by the river, he could only imagine how that poor woman felt before she finally succumbed. "That's horrible."  
"That's life." She shrugged.

* * *

Zanora rapped on a wooden beam as they entered the stable. Nanyas gaunt face appeared around a corner, a grin on her face. "There ya are. I've been waiting for you."  
"You look like you're feeling well today, Nanya, that's good to see." Zanora smiled.  
Nanya nodded, her shaggy mane of hair bobbing with her. "Yeah I actually feel pretty good today."

Zanora turned back towards the door, looking back over her shoulder. "I'll leave you two to it then, Sav'org."  
Nanya waved at Zanoras retreating figure. "Sav'org!" She turned to him. "Learn any new words today?"  
He shook his head "No, we went over the letters again."  
"I see. Well, shall we?" She asked, holding a bucket half filled with water out towards him.  
"Yeah, lets get to it."

He followed her to one of the chambers that held horses and she tossed him a brush. A few of the horses whickered softly at their approach, acknowledging their presence.  
In his time in the stables he had learned that Gerudo bred horses typically only came in two varieties. One bred for speed, light on their feet and capable of going a fair ways out in the desert unhindered, and the other bred for battle, giant creatures with strong legs and thick muscles built for intimidation and strength at the cost of speed.  
He'd seen far fewer of the latter, something Nanya attributed to the fact they were mostly reserved for nobility and high ranking warriors.  
He unlatched one of the stalls and entered, setting his bucket down on the hay covered stone and dipped his brush in the water. Nanya did the same a stall over.

They fell into a quiet routine, a comfortable silence filling the air. He'd quickly come to enjoy his shifts. The familiarity of tending to animals was comforting. And the presence of a kindred spirit when it came to animals helped immensely in keeping his sanity in his captivity. They were a good team, often finding themselves with spare time by the end of the shift.

He didn't realize he'd been humming until Nanya spoke. "Thats a pretty little song."  
"It is." He agreed. "Sounds better on my Ocarina though."  
"Your what?"  
He dropped his brush into the bucket, wiping the water from his hands onto his pants and reached into the satchel at his hip and pulled the small instrument from it. "This." He held it out for her to see.  
"Huh, never seen one of those before."  
"I've noticed that they're not too common. Aveilna's always nagging at me to play it for her." He chuckled.  
"She's one of the dancers, right? No wonder she would want you to play it for her."

"Yeah, that and she keeps insisting Zanora play too."  
"Oh, that would be a treat. She's good with that harp of hers. I heard her play it at the king's birthday celebration last year. She'll probably play again this year too.  
"Maybe if you're good enough with it she'll have you play with her. Playing for the king like that would be a great honor. If I knew how to play an instrument that would be a dream."

"You don't play anything then?" He asked, changing the subject.  
She answered with the shake of her head ""fraid not."  
"... I could teach you."

She looked up at him in surprise. "You would?"  
"Why not?"

He looked down at the litte brown instrument before holding it out for her over the stall wall to take. She took it carefully and held it up to her face. "So what do I do? Do I just put my mouth on that little piece and blow?"  
"Pretty much yeah."  
"Alright then."

Several horses let out startled noises and he flinched, ears twitching in pain at the high pitched, screeching note she produced. He put a gentle hand on hers and pulled the instrument down. "Not quite." He pried at her fingers, adjusting them. "You want to keep an even seal over the holes with the pads of your fingers, not the fingertips. Same with the mouthpiece, try not to let any air escape."  
"Okay," She blew again, and while the sound didn't pain his ears like his first attempt he shook his head.  
"Better, but you're forcing the notes, you've got to let them flow- like when you're whistling. And if you want to switch into another note, it'll sound smoother if you use your tongue to block the air."  
"Got it."

Her attempt was warbled and stopped often and inconsistently, but she was trying and he stifled a chuckle at her expression. Her visible eye narrowed with her brow pointed firmly downwards, cheeks puffed out.  
He turned away to keep from laughing. "I'm going to keep on washing, but you can keep playing if you'd like. I can give you tips while I work."  
"That would be mighty appreciated, but maybe another time." She said. "I ought to keep working too." She passed the ocarina back over the stall and he slipped it back into his pouch and picked up his brush again. "But I would love another go at it sometime, iffin' you don't mind."  
"Not at all."

* * *

They'd finished everything on their list except for cleaning out one of the rooms for cuccos when what sounded like an explosion rang through the air, sending off the cuccos.

"What was that?" Nanya asked, steadying herself against the wall.  
"Zanora said she had a dream that might've meant a storm was coming." He answered. "It was probably thunder."  
Her face lit up. "Truly? What are we in here for? Lets go!" She took off through the stable chambers.  
"Hey wait up! He cried, taking off after her.

He nearly ran into her. She'd stopped a few feet outside, her staring up at the downpour.  
"Looks like Zanora was right." He murmured. "It's really coming down."  
"Yeah it is!" Nanya exclaimed happily.

"Hey, hey, Link," She turned to him, practically bouncing on her feet. "Race you to the end?" Nanya challenged, the rain already causing her hair to plaster to her face. "Loser has to clean Ol Howls cage."  
He shivered, though whether it was from the cool rain or the thought of having to clean the cage was hard to tell. He had learned very quickly that the one dubbed Howl was the meanest out of all of the cuccos in the stable they worked. She'd been named for her tendency to let out an ear piercing screech at anyone who dared get close. She'd bitten him once already- hard enough to draw a small amount of blood, and from then he did his best to avoid the bird.  
But he nodded in agreement anyway, finding himself unable to refuse her challenge. "You're on."

She jumped on her feet. "Go!" The moment the word left her lips she took off. He broke into a sprint. "Hey!" He took off after her, the water from the rain making the sand stick to his shoes instead of clouding up behind him.  
He caught up to her, fighting to stay at pace. He was in better shape, but her legs, though short for her race, were longer than his and knew the sand well even in its wet state.  
She fumbled for a fraction of a second and he took advantage of it. He forced himself to speed up.  
He stumbled, losing his footing and falling forward as something hit his back with a heavy thump. He caught himself on his hands and Nanya's laughter mixed with the patter of the rain as she ran in front of him. "Like my little gift?" She taunted, looking back over her shoulder with a friendly smile.

He jumped to his feet, grabbing a handful as he did. "About as much as you're going to like mine!" He took up pursuit and lobbed the crude ball of sand.  
He hit her, but not the back as he had intended. She pulled ahead just enough that it fell short, and the sand splattered against her bare calf.  
The wall of rock at the end of the archery grounds was coming up quickly, and he knew he was too far behind to win at this point. He found he didn't mind much, he bent down and scooped another handful of sand, throwing it as she neared the rock. Small chunks of sand flew off her lower back from the impact as she touched the stone with a triumphant cry.

She turned to face him as he approached, a grin on her lips as her chest heaved. "Didn't think I'd actually win." She rasped, descending into a worrying fit of coughing. He relaxed somewhat as laughter mixed with her coughing.  
He crossed his arms, turning his nose up, a tired smile on his own lips. "You had a head start."  
"By three seconds."  
"...And you've got longer legs."  
She burst into another fit of laughing and coughing, and leaned against the rock. He followed suit, letting out his own breathless laugh. "It feels like it's been forever since I've done something like that." He mused. "It was almost like racing my friend Holden."

"You got a lot of friends back home?"  
He turned his face up to the rain, letting the droplets roll down his skin with a small, wistful smile. "Yeah... My village is on the small side, so I know everybody pretty well."  
"...Would you consider me a friend?" Her question caught him off guard and he turned to her as she looked away. "I mean, if you want... I would call you a friend."

He smiled as she looked back, cautiously meeting his gaze. He nodded "I'd like that. I'd like that very much."  
She stuck out her hand as the sky flashed. "Well then, friends?" He met her hand, which was rough from the wet sand still coating it, and they shook as a peal of thunder shook the air. "Friends."

Perhaps Zanora was right about storms being good omens after all.

"Link! Nanya!" They both looked up as Zanora came running up, her clothes sticking to her. "There you are! I was right! My dream was right!" She cheered. "I came running to get you as soon as I heard the brontide. It's really truly storming!" Her light blue eyes were lit up with unbridled joy. Another woman came jogging up behind her, a smile on her face under a crude umbrella.  
Her smile faltered when her eyes landed on Nanya. "Wait, nanya you probably shouldn't be out, it could irritate you're condition and make you sick." She went to Nanyas side, fussing like a mother hen. Her hair in it's bun bounced a bit as she moved.  
Nanya waved her away. "Then it'll be my own fault for once if it does." Nanya motioned between the newcomer and Link. "Link, this is my sister, Guahar."

The woman looked down at him with critical eyes behind her glasses. "You must be the Voe called Link. Nanya has spoken of you."  
"She has?"  
Nanya gave him a hearty slap on the back. "'Course I have!"  
"Oh, well..." He stuck out his hand. "It's nice to meet you. She's mentioned you too." She looked at his hand with a brow raised and he mentally cursed himself for offering the one covered with sand. Probably not the first impression.  
Nanya only laughed and slung her sandy arm over her sisters shoulder. "You ought to be proud of your little sister. I just won a race against a healthy Hylian voe."

"Nanya, you shouldn't be exerting yourself needlessly." Guahar chided.  
"Oh relax, like I said, if I get sick it'll be my own fault. I can live with that. Feel sorry for him if anything. He's got to clean ol howls cage."

* * *

He strode over to his mattress and threw himself down with a grunt, skin covered in scratches and loose feathers stuck to his still damp clothes here and there.

It had stopped raining by the time he'd wrangled old howl back into her cage. Zanora had offered to heal some of his wounds, after she had stopped laughing at him, but he had declined. They were mostly just light nicks that would be gone by morning anyway. Though perhaps he should have asked if she would help him pick the feathers out of his hair.

Most of the sand stuck to him had been knocked away in his struggle with ol howl. The storm had apparently set the bird in a far fouler mood than normal, and had taken it's anger out on him. Nanya kept to her word and let him deal with the bird alone, instead tending to the other cages and offering words of encouragement. Zanora and Gauhar and stayed to watch. Guahar had intended to whisk Nanya back to their home, but Nanya had insisted on staying, to watch him and finish up her duty since it was almost done anyway. Zanora had stayed partially because he would need an escort and partially because she found his situation funny.

He thought back on his handshake earlier with Nanya. It felt good to have someone he could call a friend. Her question had surprised him, but it was a good surprise. Four weeks ago he would've denied being able to find any kinship with these desert women. Perhaps it was some sort of preordained thing that he should find a friend in another outcast.

And he'd surprised himself with his offer to teach him to play the ocarina.

He sat up and dug the instrument from his pouch and ran his hands over the ceramic. Perhaps it was also poetic that the ocarina should be tied into a friendship. How many years had he held a strong connection to a special friend through it? He didn't know, but he knew it was a few happy years until his family had put a stop to it, on the basis that he was too old for imaginary friends.

...still though, it couldn't hurt to try it...

He took a deep breath and brought it to his lips. He forced himself to clear his mind as he played, letting the music overtake his senses until he was almost sure he could smell the trees and hear their leaves rustling softly. The notes echoed off his walls back to him even as he breathed out his last few notes.

There was a moment of quiet as the echoing notes softly died out and he pulled the ocarina from his lips, disheartened. He was so hoping that just maybe...

He shook his head at himself, he was silly to hope for her to answer, his family was probably right. An apparition of the forest, that's all it ever had been.

"...Link?"

He jumped at first, startled by the voice in his head. Then he smiled, falling back onto the bed. "Hello, I've got so much to tell you."


End file.
